


August

by JDBeckett



Series: 365 Prompts [8]
Category: Original Work
Genre: F/M, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-01
Updated: 2014-08-31
Packaged: 2018-03-22 09:28:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 42,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3723793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JDBeckett/pseuds/JDBeckett





	1. Rake

"We'll have a lot of work ahead of us this autumn." The words startle me away from the sketch I was doodling on. I had expected it, really, but I guess it had slipped my mind. I know what happens if I sketch out of my studio. I wasn't really settling for sketching as it is, I just thought I'd sit and let my mind wander. I'm just glad it wandered towards sketching, I spent too long unable to draw anything so this is really a huge relief.

Still, I set my pen down and I turn my gaze to him. He's staring outside, a cat toy forgotten at his feet. We do have a lot of trees in the yard but most of them are a distance off and I don't really think it'd be necessary to rake them leaves to any sort of order. The first bundle of tree is further off than we really ever go. Of course we have about three trees on what I consider the yard itself but they shouldn't be too much work. "I don't think it'll be much more work than usual, really. A few leaves, a bit of grass to cut. We could run the leaves through the shredder, it'd be good compost for the garden up top."

His face is blank for a moment, as if I'd uttered something he didn't understand at all before his gaze cleared. I can't help the soft laugh that escapes me and he huffs at me, in playfulness. "Well it's true. There really only are three big trees close to us, the rest is beyond what I consider our yard even if it is our property. Plus, I think the mower has a shredding function, otherwise we can always ask to borrow Eoghan's mower, I know his does have the function and we wouldn't have to push it around."

I spend a lot of time looking out to our yard so I guess I spend a lot of time thinking about ways to better it, to make it 'prettier' as it is. Now that the cats have their catio, they can head out and come back in as they will and please though only Areli does at this point. Lavi goes near the door now and again but it's as if he's scared of what's outside and the kittens all scatter when they hear the wind. It will take some time but I know that eventually they'll all enjoy time spent outside.

"I'm sorry if I disrupted your drawing moment." I blink at him and then I look down at the bit of a sketch on my notepad. I shake my head with a chuckle. It doesn't look like much and I can't even tell what it might have been meant to be.

"Don't worry, I don't even know if it would have gone much of anywhere. Speaking of a lot of work for autumn though, leaves needing raked and all, though in a way it doesn't have much to do with. We will have to buy a new rake, the one I use for the garden is starting to sort of fall apart. I think it was poor quality when we bought it so I'm not really surprised. I can't really clear out patches of the garden without it."

He nods and stretches. I know we'll head out in a couple of days or in a couple of hours, depending, and get ourselves a fine new rake but I'm in no rush and I know he's not either. The rake isn't completely broken down yet though I've gotten a few splinters from it over the last few days, they're unpleasant.

  


"Did you ever manage to do anything with that sketch you'd started working on?" He's carefully walking to the bed, two cats twining around his legs and the sight is more amusing than it should be. With seven cats in the house, all loved for, fed and played with on a daily basis, simple tasks such as getting into bed or even more dangerously so, preparing anything in the kitchen can be quite the feat.

I shake my head as he finally settles between the covers and Izar jumps up to join us, attacking my toes for a moment. Quentin frowns at my answer and I gently bump my shoulder against him. "I don't think that sketch was really meant to go anywhere, it was more random doodle lines more than anything else so please don't worry about it."

I know he'll fret about it for a bit anyway and there's nothing I can do about it. To change his mood even just slightly, I wiggle my toes while moving my feet closer to his own and Izar takes the bait, he follows my toes until my feet are right next to Quentin's and he moves from my little piggies to Quentin's own. I laugh at Quentin's startled answer though he doesn't shoo Izar away.

On most nights, we end up with at least two or three cats on the bed. Not much of an issue considering how big it is and how much of a hog I am to Quentin's presence. I have to be near him and touch him while I sleep, else I rest very poorly.

Joining Izar in his chase-the-toes game is Maris though she doesn't last long and after a few moments she's at my side, just settled and curling. I think this is going to be one of the bigger nights. I know we've had a couple of nights were all seven cats were in the bed. That was a bit different from the norm. At least it was a spring night and the air still was cold so it didn't turn out to be too much of an issue. I don't think I could survive an entire night with seven little furnaces all settled around us, heating us up to an uncomfortable degree.

"All right, all right, Izar, that's enough, leave my poor toes alone you'll munch on them all and I'll have none left." He laughs softly as he reaches out to tug the feline away from his toes and settles him on his lap for a few moment. Izar is a toe attacker, he's really the one to do that in the house. Maris isn't far behind him but she seems to get bored of it pretty quickly.

"Tomorrow we'll go to the store and see about a rake and just about anything else you think you might need to keep up the wonderful work you do for the garden upstairs, how's that?"

I nod as I shift to settle next to him, against him. I drape my arm across his stomach and he chuckles softly as I nestle my head to his shoulder. If we're going to the store tomorrow, I'll have to go upstairs to make a list of what I really need. I have one area I've cleared out recently, relocated really and I could plant something new there, I just don't know what. Who knows what we might find at the store.

"That sounds like a plan, so long as you have enough toes to make sure you can balance yourself properly on your feet." I murmur the words against his shoulder and he laughs softly. I grin and I close my eyes as I feel the slightly larger build of either Areli or Lavi settle near my feet. These two boys will always be bigger than the other five and it makes it easier to tell them apart without really looking at them. Not that it's much of a necessity though I like knowing who sleeps with us during the night. I'm just an odd little bug like that, I can't help it.

For a moment, I just nuzzle a little closer to that shoulder and I settle. The air still is humid outside and partly inside but we keep the bedroom door closed as much as we can, keeping it cool and cozy in there until we slip in between the sheets.


	2. New Coat

I don't know how old this box is and I'm not sure I want to know. When Lex moved in, he had more boxes than I ever could have imagined and yet I should have expected it. He travelled the world, he stayed in different countries, he has summer homes in different countries. To this day, we still have a few of those boxes in an empty room we haven't found a use for yet and now and again when I have nothing better to do with my time, I pluck one of these boxes out and I go through it. Whatever I find that I can put away somewhere, I put away, the rest I put back into the box with a note somewhere on it that it's not as full. The next time I open a box, if there's some stuff left in there that can fit in another box, I switch it around. It helps with their numbers.

This one box though, I really don't know how old it is. It was hiding behind the rest of the boxes. It was dusty in a bad way and I'm sure the little holes in it are from buggies or something else having a munch at the cardboard.

"Lex?" Last I checked he was cleaning out his work room so he could get some new equipment installed, the door wasn't closed when I walked by it so I know he should at least be aware of the sounds as they travel through the whole floor.

It takes a few moments but eventually he steps up to the room and peers in quietly with a quirked brow. I roll my eyes at him and motion him closer with a chuckle. I swear at times I think he's allergic to dust for how well he manages to avoid it. I do most of the cleaning and vacuuming, at least the dry-based cleaning. He's good at washing windows.

"How old is this?" He looks over my shoulder a moment and peers at the box. His lips settle into that wry little look I'm still not used to looking at and, instead of answering me, he settles next to me and pulls the top open carefully.

"The box isn't half as old as what's inside." Is what he says as carefully he pulls out something. I'm not sure what it is, it's wrapped in a large amount of material, silk maybe. It has seen better days. "This brings back old memories."

He settles whatever it is on his lap and he carefully unwraps it. Once the piece is freed from its cloth prison, it looks to be an old, worn sort of uniform. Not quite he ones seen in the army, something older. Army perhaps but it looks closer to stuff I've seen in old Victorian times. I gape at it for a moment, not really daring to reach out and touch it. It looks worn but still in fair condition though there are some spots on it that look like someone managed to tear their teeth through it.

"We're going to need to get you a new coat?" The words slip from my lips in a playful joke as he turns the garment so he can look at it from the front. He frowns softly at the sight of it and sets it back down on its silk wrapping.

"I guess we will. It's been ages since I've looked at it. I really thought that wrapping it up this way would keep it safe but it hasn't really been."

I can tell, from his reaction, that the coat means a lot to him so instead of teasing him about it, I just look it over again a moment. "Isn't there a corner in our library that hasn't been overfilled with books? We could get a mannequin, a protective glass case and we could set it up there? It'd be safe from most of the sun and you don't get to be much more protected than in a glass case."

Again, his case is on the garment, studying it. His lips pinched just lightly. I've been through the Victorian era, it was wonderful. I wasn't all that old then, he was much older and I can understand the sentimentality I can sense from him. Finally he nods and carefully begins to fold the coat down. "Let's keep it out, we can dust it up carefully and I could try my hand at mending- no wait. Here's an idea and you can slap me if you don't like it. How about we carefully bundle it up and bring it to Quentin? No one better than him to mend it and make it look absolutely like new."

For a long moment he stares at the jacket, then at me, back at the jacket and my way again. I really can't read his expression though eventually he does not and I can see just the hint of a smile to his lips.

"Like I'd hit you even if your idea had been a terrible one. This is a good idea and you know him better than I do, you can explain to him how important this is and how much it is cherished."

"Lex, Quentin cherishes everything that is clothes and I think being able to handle such an old piece is going to be a huge proof that we trust him. Just wrap it back up, you know how to better than me and while you do that I'll call over and see if we can cross and visit."

He nods, looking at the garment still as if it was filled with memories and I imagine it must be. I leave him be to his wrapping and by the time he comes back out of the room, he's handling the whole box. I guess it is filled with memories and more garments of a time gone by.

  


"In a few days I should be able to bring those back across to you." Quentin's voice is quiet, thoughtful as he looks at the clothes set out along his working table. His weaving room is bigger than I had thought it would be. Of course the door is closed at this point and I think it's more of a relief for Lex than me. He cherishes all those different garments so much more than I can imagine.

"They're very-"

"I know, Alexis. Valuable, I will treat them as I would anything worth so much in anyone's eyes. Weaving is in my blood, any garment requires attention and a careful touch."

I can only grin at Lex's slightly gaping look. He's not used to being cut off, at least by anyone whose name isn't Eoghan Mac Niadh. I cut him off on a regular basis but that's to be expected. Eventually, he nods and brushes his fingers over the jacket one final time. We file out of the work room and Quentin closes the door, locking it moments later.

Quentin leads us back to the front door and again we go through the ritual of opening one door, making sure the area is cat free and closing that door before we open the other one. It has become routine in a way that none of us actually mind. Anyone else might be annoyed by the care these two put into keeping all areas of their home safe but in my eyes, it's just an extra layer of care.

"I'll call when everything is ready and fixed up. At that point we can decided if you two would rather come pick it up or if you'd want me to bring it up to you. Both options are a possibility. I can set everything up on hangers and under plastic protective sheets once I'm done as well so no real worries about having them grow dusty during the brief transport from one house to the next."

"Thank you Quentin." I know we've done the right thing. I mean I know I've done the right thing. Lex looks pleased that his old garments, though he may never wear them again, will be fixed up and Quentin looks to be in heaven with that kind of work offered to him. This is a win-win situation.


	3. short __________

I've never really realized how short tempered she is. To this day, up until at least Alexis and Eoghan offered us a roof, she'd been kind and driven to keep us safe but now that we've settled, it seems as if the fuse has gotten shorter and shorter for those rare times where we actually see her at all. I feels like half of her clothes have been moved elsewhere and she doesn't really live with us anymore.

She came in this morning, two large travelling bags in hands and she announced that we were moving. I just mostly stared at her but Agni, oh Agni went up in flames, figuratively, of course. But he argued loud and clear. She even slapped him, just once. That silenced him for a moment, just a moment and he was right back in her face seconds later. I don't know if it was the yelling or- yeah, it must have been the yelling because Eoghan was at our door just minutes later, his eyes wide and worried, a little frightened maybe. I don't know. At times I have a hard time reading his face. Nearly at his heels, there was Alexis and while I imagine he must have been uncomfortable to a point about whatever was happening, he looked mostly poker-faced.

I took Agni with me and we left after Eoghan told us the adults needed to talk. Zora started yelling at him about how he had no right to tell us what to do and he just waved us off. I'm not going to argue, they're older, they're adults and we're not going to get in the middle of that. So I took Agni and we went downstairs and instead of heading out, we knocked on Armin's door. He let us in without even asking to know why we were there at all.

  


I don't know what happened after we stepped out. The building shook a little but it didn't last. Agni just sat staring outside a little morosely and I know it hurts him to think that Zora seems to want to move away from this place. This is the best home we've ever had, the only home we've ever had and I don't want to move away. 

It was some hours later that Eoghan was knocking on Armin's door to fetch us. He looked a little worn and I felt bad for it. It was our fault he was this way, really. If we'd just gone with her, thinks would have been different but it felt crazy to want to go anywhere, all things considered.

"Are you both all right?" I spared a glance to Agni at my side, just clinging to my hand as if to protect me and I nodded. We were as well as we could be. The bruise on Agni's cheek was already well on its way to healing.

"Okay, here's the deal." Here he stopped in his tracks, at the top of the stair and he sat. We sat down next to him. It wasn't as if we'd be disturbed, the place only has us as folks living in so no one but maybe Alexis could come this way. "Zora decided that she wanted to live with her boyfriend. He has a small apartment on the other side of town, it's where she's been spending most of her time, is what I gathered from her."

He shook his head here and sighed, running one hand through his short hair. "I wasn't trying to pry into her mind to get more details since she didn't really want to give us any but I ended up doing that anyway. I know that what we're offering you here is simple enough, it does the job but she still is your sister and as per the law, she essentially is your legal guardian, to a point."

I recalled bits and pieces of what he'd told us when he'd gotten us from the police station, how it was his and Alexis's name at the top of the papers when it came to us. I had thought this might have meant that they were closer to our legal guardian than Zora since she was just our sister and had never really gotten any paperwork done.

"Now, from what I saw in her thoughts, I'm pretty sure you both would have been in a rather small bedroom, sharing something akin to bunk beds. I know it's not such a bad thing but I know you're both growing up and you're growing used to having your own things and your own space. If she wants to live in a slighter space for the sake of love, then she can but she can't force you both to go anywhere if you don't really want to."

Again he paused and looked to the ceiling this time, as if to gather his thoughts. I leaned my weight against him gently and he smiled down at me. "I offered to her that her boyfriend move in here with her but she said she didn't want that. She started screaming something about how we were a bad influence on you boys and Alexis had to shut her up. He just held a hand over her lips for a minute, mind you. She bit him."

Agni breathed a startled laugh and he shook his head and Eoghan actually snickered faintly. "He called her a vicious pup and told her that she could pack all of her things if she wanted but she had to leave your stuff here. So she packed up most of her things. Now, this doesn't really change anything in the way our lives have been going for a while. You both have been getting your own groceries for weeks, you've prepared your own meal, you come to the shared supper, you've been acting like two very mature adult while she found herself someone to love and drifted away."

As he said that, he moved to his feet and we followed suit. He finished heading down the hallway to our door and opened it up for us. "The place was something of a rightful mess when she was done with her tantrum but we fixed it up."

"You didn't have to."

"I know but It didn't feel right to leave you two to pick up after her. Now, we told her she's free to come back if she ever wishes, which is why we've left her bedroom was it is, we don't see the point to changing it and I know you two didn't really bother with it as it was either. If either one of you need anything, you know you can always get in contact with us, we're easy to reach, okay?"

I could only nod, really. Agni surprised me though, he latched onto Eoghan, hugging him fiercely. It's not that we don't love Zora. She's been with us since we were small and she's been keeping us safe, but we're growing up, we're almost seventeen, we work, we pay for our own food, we're careful with what we do. If we were to move out with her and her boyfriend, someone we don't know, there's no saying what could happen.

Mussing Agni's hair, Eoghan smiled at us both before he reminded us of tonight's supper. Though he mentioned that if we didn't feel like it we didn't have to. I told him we'd think good and long about it but I knew we were going to go anyway. These folks have been feeling more like family lately than our sister. I'm not saying we're going to forget her, she took care of us for years, it means a lot but I guess we still have some growing up to do.

When he was out of the door, we closed it and looked at one another quietly. It was a strange feeling, knowing she was likely not coming back though it didn't change much in the routine we'd had lately. Still, it was a different way to look at things.

"Want to go up and have a swim?" Something to change the scenery was the best course of action and Agni nodded, smiling faintly as he did.

"We'll adapt. Just one day after the other."


	4. Walk a Mile

"Do we have to walk that far?" His voice is soft, a little childish. He's complaining just to complain and it's the third time he's done it. All I can do is roll my eyes and elbow him lightly to remind him to be quiet.

"Quentin, we walk this far at least once a week, you've just never known it was this far. It's our usual twenty minutes' walk, so stop complaining or I swear next time I head to the bakery, I only take the breads I like and I leave yours behind." The mock-threat quiets him down but he pouts as he keeps up with my brisk walking pace. We've both walked long distances in the past, this isn't new. Him on his escape from Siberia, all the way here and mine from just one city down south up here. He's walked so much more than me.

"Sorry."

"No reason to be, I know it just seems a lot longer when you think about it this way, one mile instead of just twenty quiet minutes of still fresh summer morning walk. I don't mind. I was teasing about the bread."

He nods but he's still quiet and I roll my eyes. At times I feel like there are some days where we're right back to how things were at the very beginning. When he wasn't sure how to handle my presence and when he was afraid that I might pack back up and leave. Those ideas are complete nonsense, I wouldn't have left though I suppose he was so unused to company that I couldn't blame him for it.

"We can stop for ice cream on the way back?" He shrugs and I pinch the bridge of my nose lightly. "Quentin please don't do this to me."

"Do what?"

"You know exactly what. Now and again you'll just freeze up, as if you imagine me some deer that might run off if you move too quickly. I'm not going anywhere, I love you, adore you. I've fantasized about you before you ever managed to work the guts to tell me how you felt." Oh dear that shouldn't have left my mouth.

He stops and I have to stop as well, just a pace or two ahead of him, I turn to face him cheeks somewhat rosy and I can only tilt my head to the side. "We're almost at the halfway point?"

I'm just trying to get him to move but he's still looking at me as if I'd just told him that the moon was made of cheese which we all know is a lie, it's made of dust and more dust. He gets that little grin on his face that usually spells trouble for me later on but he starts moving again and I turn back to keep on going the way we were walking. It's best not to focus too much on anything else, if I'm in mock-trouble, I'll be in mock-trouble, there's nothing else to do about it at this point, really.

  


"It wasn't so bad, was it?" Nearly a mile and a half. We went a little further than I had planned but he spotted a little boutique along the way and we went in as we usually do when he spots something that catches his attention that way. I can't complain, it seemed to take away whatever edge there might still have been about the threat on the bakery run.

He shrugs and stretches, a soft yawn to his lips as Izar climbs up his pant leg. He pulls the cat up to his arms and then sets him on his shoulder as he drift further inside of our now comfortable home. The worst of the heat has gone by and I am more than a little glad, it was uncomfortable, sleeping was difficult and no amount of time spent in the pool really helped. I know the summers can be bad but this felt like it was worse than usual, I wonder if it's because I've become used to having a roof over my head, that I'm not out there anymore, surviving one day after the other.

"So you've fantasized about me?"

I knew I should have kept my mouth shut. I shrug with a soft laugh. "You should know me, Quentin. I told you about the box of stuff under my bed. Some I've never used, some I have, my hormones had the better of me when we met, I think. There's not many other ways of looking at it. I'm not ashamed of how I felt or what I did and I had to keep myself from molesting you while you were still figuring yourself out."

He blushes at those words and I chuckle again, the sound is low, calm. "All right, I guess you have a point, still, I didn't think you'd gone as far as fantasizing. I'd ask you about some of those fantasies but we're expected tonight for the supper and that might delay us."

It's my turn to blush, his words strike something deep within me. We haven't really done anything, at least nothing invasive. We've shared pleasure together but haven't turned to sex yet. It's not something we're in any rush for and I can't complain. When the urge really strikes me, I dip into my box of stuff, that's all.

He grins at me, as if he knows what seeds he's planted into my mind and he disappears off towards the cat's room. I follow him just halfway, stopping in our bedroom to just flop carefully on the bed for a while. I know he'll drop Izar off and join me. The night was a bit short for both of us, I'm aware so I think a chance at a brief nap before we start in on our daily chores might not be a bad thing.

Of course, I'm not sure if he might not try to see about delaying us altogether for supper. I couldn't complain. I have plenty of energy, I'm just a little worn, it's a strange sensation. I shake my head to shake the thought away and I close my eyes, rolling to my side to settle as comfortably as I can.

After a few moments, I feel him settling against me. His arm against my waist, his forehead to my shoulder. I love him with all I am, I don't know what I would do if he ever decided that what he feels for me is temporary. I'm pretty sure it would tear me apart absolutely. I've never felt this way about anyone else before and I've met a lot of people while I was out in the streets, trying to live and survive, mostly. He's just different and not just because he's like me, a gifted soul, a demon.

He murmurs a few words I can't make out before he's tightening his arm about my waist a moment and releasing his hold. I roll over to face him and he settles on his back. I don't really need to be asked or told twice, I'm more than happy with settling against him, legs tangled, my face nestled against his shoulder and my arm to his waist. This is the most comfortable spot in the house and I don't think I'd live long without it, corny as it sound.

At my back, the bed dips just lightly, barely and I chuckle against Quentin's shoulder as one of the cat settles up close and personal against my knees. I can't complain, the room is surprisingly cool enough at this point that having a tiny little furnace against my legs isn't going to be much of an issue. I don't roll around much when I sleep either so we're all nice, safe and cozy for the time being, I'm not budging, Quentin is not budging and whichever of the kitten—too small to be Areli or Lavi—is against my knees is not budging. We're all set for a good nap.


	5. Ignite

"Are we all ready?" There are nods and called out 'yeah!' from around how huge pile of wood, ready to be ignited away. Of course before it was built up, we made sure the ground was safe, all sand and we set up a rough stone circle around to keep it contained. Not far we have several buckets of water but I know they'll be completely useless, we have Mira so I think we're safe. 

I think we all decided that tonight was a grilled supper kind of night so we bought hamburgers, we had hot dogs, steaks, salads, we all brought a little something. Armin brought in a sort of dessert I'd never really seen before and it was a delicacy. I could have had a second serving if I hadn't been so full already.

"Agni, if you'd please?" He grins and I can only feel relief as it floods me. After the little issue we'd had with their sister earlier today, I'd been afraid they would not have showed though they both did. They've been quiet most of the dinner time but now, as we're all settled around the soon bonfire, the makings of s'mores not far from my left, they both look a little livelier.

Within moments, the bonfire is a roaring mass of fire, hot and surprising. I knew he'd get it going without even breaking a sweat. We could have done it the old fashioned human way but at times, a little use of the gifts doesn't hurt. Mira isn't far in case it gets out of hand but that's not my first bonfire and it's not my last.

At times I feel as if things are less tense since Zora's been gone. I mean, sure, she only just today really left but for weeks now she's refused to come to the shared meals and she hasn't really been around, things haven't been as tense. It's comforting. Agni settles next to his brother, just watching the flames, a pleased sort of smile to his lips and I see about starting the preparation of s'mores. I know the twins have never had any and I wonder if Quentin and Yael even know what they are. This is a good experience, really.

  


The fire burns well into the night. By that point, Armin has dozed off in his chair and we could all just sleep outside, the sky is clear and the air is warm but there are still mosquitoes out there and that's just not a good idea. I share a look briefly with Lex who nods at me and while he works with Mira to make sure the fire is completely out, I carefully bundle Armin in my arms to take him back inside to his apartment.

It's as I'm backing away into his door to open it that he seems to slightly come to. In the darkness of his home, I can't see him blush but I can feel him and I can't help the slight grin. I know he has a soft spot for me, a small sort of crush. I find it sweet but sad. I wish I could give him what he really deserves but I can't do that for him. I love Lex with all of my heart and I can only offer Armin a friendship.

"I could have walked." His voice is soft and rough with sleep.

"Armin, you were fast asleep, this isn't any trouble with me, plus, I love the chance I get, carrying you this way." One of his automatic lights turns on as I walk past and I grin at him. His cheeks flame a little more deeply and he hides his face against my chest.

Once in his bedroom, I set him down on his bed and I back down a step. "I'm teasing you, Armin, I just appreciate being able to do small little things now and again. Lex is a brute and he's too big to be carried and I've always somewhat wanted to know what it felt like, so thank you."

He smiles at me, a gentle sort of smile. I bid him goodnight and I slip back out again to help with the rest of the picking up.

Quentin and Yael are picking up stray bits of stuff that the wind has taken on a ride away from our meal and bonfire zone while Agni and Mira finish burying in dirt and sand what's left of the embers. It's comforting to know that we all keep busy and help. I spent time in different communities and while I was younger there was a lot of 'everyone for themselves'. These very communities barely lasted, rarely really got off the ground.

  


We leave the twins on the second floor, making sure they get into their apartment just to be safe, before climbing up to the third where I'm more than content with flopping onto the bed, feet still dangling off the edge because I forgot to take my slip on shoes off. I would have stayed barefoot while outside but with the fire so close I didn't want to chance it. Agni and Mira were barefoot, I'm not surprised. They were the only ones who were, however.

Next to me, Lex settles down with a stretch. There's that pleased smile on his lips and I can only mirror it. This has been a good meal and a good evening. It doesn't beat supper and movie but it was a good change. Now and again a bonfire is nice, much as that evening we went to the restaurant and to the theatre following that.

I feel like a mother bear, whose cubs all are doing great things with their lives. I feel like I'm doing my part in helping everyone I'm close to in this moment of my life. I didn't know if I'd ever feel that way. Before, really, it was just Lex. I kept my focus on him, I kept my heart and my mind on him but now we have a bigger family and I couldn't have asked for anything better.

With a slight shift, I get my shoes off and they thump mutely onto the carpet. I wiggle my way higher up on the bed, a low, worn laugh escaping me. Lex snickers, at the sight of me I'm sure and he shakes his head as he simply keeps on watching me. I know where the rest of our evening will go, though at this point it's more night since we're well past midnight. I don't mind. I love it when we spend quality time together this way and we always sleep better.

I'm sure we'll be sleeping well into the morning if not early afternoon but weekends are meant to be relaxing and are meant to be for taking things slow. I'm not about to rush, I'm not about to run around with my head cut off. I just want to spend a few good hours pampering and being pampered by the man I love after a good, filling meal, a good time around a huge fire and friends.

I've never asked much of the world in general though at times I feel like I might be asking for the moon when it comes to certain things but that's why I tend to not let my hopes be raised too much too quickly. This life is fine this way, not perfect but pretty damned closed, I refuse to let anything weigh me down. I refuse to be beaten down by people who might think they know what's best for me. This is my life and I'll decide myself what I do with it and who I spend all of my time with. To hell with everyone else.

For now, I forget the world exists, I shed my clothes, slip between the covers and grin coyly at my lover as he closes the door, turns off the light and joins me.


	6. Kindness

I no longer see Élodie in the library. Twice she ran into me, almost literally. She tried to bat her lashes at me, twice I told her that if she ever came anywhere near my brother I would have to show her that I might look harmless but I wasn't. She stared at me funny, her eyes wide, she stumbled over an apology, I thanked her for her patronage, told her she could get lost and bid her good day. I'm a fine, confusing sort of soul, I know. It amuses me. She hasn't been around since that second stumble and I'm glad for that. Sure it's one less person in the library but I don't think that's what'll change much.

The first time she ran into me, when she turned to walk away, she bumped into someone else. A guy who couldn't be much older than me. His hair was bright purple that time and bright teal the next. He must have known her because he called her by name. She looked even more startled than she'd been with me and took off even more quickly.

He's in the library often lately, I can't complain. He doesn't cause anyone any harm and he's friendly. He'll come in, one morning, find a book, settle somewhere and just read for a few hours before he takes note of his page and he actually puts the book back where it belongs. I don't know why he doesn't borrow it to finish reading it.

I think his name is Cyrille. I could be wrong but I think that's what I heard Élodie mutter last time she stumbled into him. I'd be more certain if he had an account with the library but I don't mind. It's nice just being able to see him come and go. He changes his hair colour every so often, it's interesting. I know Agni has noticed him too.

Hard not to, though, when one morning last week he actually came in with three danishes. I mean, I know we're not supposed to eat in the library and I'm pretty sure he knows that but he had these three danishes, he came up to the desk and he dropped them here with a grin. Armin rolled his eyes at him but told him that his last book still was on the shelf and that no one had taken it out. I guess they know one another somewhat, I wonder where from.

I think he's kind. I think it's really cool that he just puts his book back where he took it. So many others just leave them on the table where they were reading them or looking for stuff in them. One day, a little while back, I saw him offer his seat to an older lady who'd been looking for a seat near one of the windows, it has better lighting. I can't say I've seen that done often. The window seats are the ones that go first because the areas are bright, the table spots are last to go because, for one, they're uncomfortable and two, the lights are honestly dim in there.

  


Right as I'm reaching up to put a book back where it belongs, the lights flicker and go dark. I can only freeze and close my eyes for a few moments. I count to ten, I open my eyes, still in the dark. I stay quiet, I strain and listen. I can hear Armin telling folks that the electricity has just up and died and that sadly it will more than likely not be back until the following morning. I can hear the distant rustle of clothes and books as some people decide to leave.

Agni was supposed to be with Armin at that point so I know before long he'll come looking for me with the flashlight. The electricity cutting out this way has been happening more and more often. I'm a little worried about what it's going to be like this winter. Or what happens if it cuts out but fire catches on somewhere because there's a spark? I could get it under control but it doesn't mean that I'm not afraid of what might happen, really.

From my left, I see a light bobbing though it looks to be a little higher held than Agni would. I blink but I carefully step down from my stool so as to not break my neck and I ease out from between the shelves and into the main path. The light shines on me for a moment but it still is too dark for me to make out features.

"Mira, right?" Definitely not my brother! Why does my heart suddenly decides to beat a mile a minute? I feel my cheeks warm and that too baffles me to no end, I don't honestly know what to think! 

I can only clear my throat for a moment before I manage a startled sort of laugh. "Yeah, I'm here."

"It's Cyrille, you know, the guy with the hair, Armin said your brother was getting the lights from the cupboard and asked if I minded taking a moment to get you from the back since it's so dark."

I laugh again, I can't help it. 'The guy with the hair', that little statement alone amuses me more than anything else. As he steps closer to me, I can see the grin on his face and I roll my eyes. "Your hair is hard to miss but I think it looks nice."

"Aww, thanks!" I'm blushing again but as I'm walking besides him, I'd rather want to hope he's not going to notice it. He's almost a head taller than me. Taller people used to scare the hell out of me, I guess it's from that memory I only half remember of that man we stayed with when we were kids. I don't remember much. I'm a bit more used to them now, between Alexis and Eoghan who are huge, in my opinion, Cy here seems to be in the middle.

"It's nice to properly meet you." I can't believe how mumbly these come out of my mouth and I shake my head slightly. I don't know why I'm reacting this way, really. 

"Well, we've met before and to be honest, I heard Élodie talking on the phone with her friends about what she'd had in mind for you and your brother and I wanted to apologize on her behalf, my sister is a twit and she thinks she can get away with a lot."

That might explain the hair colour, though I know I'm just assuming. I feel my shoulders tense and I hear him sigh besides me as we stop just at the edge of the shelves, just a few steps away from the main area, it's still dark.

"I'm nothing like my sister, Mira. At least I want to believe I'm not. I don't go after people because I think I might get a good romp out of it though I'm not against casual pleasure." My cheeks flame again, deeply, at those words and he looks down at me with a sheepish sort of smile. "Sorry, details you might not be interested in. I'll spare you. I just want to make sure that you don't think I'd invite either one of you out and try to rope you into sexual favours, that's all. If I did invite either one of you and honestly I'd rather invite you both, it'd be to a crowded place where we could just learn a bit more about one another."

His words pause but we finally start walking again. His words echo left and right in my mind and I miss Agni almost running out way and hugging me. The action is so sudden that I stiffen before I'm hugging him back and laughing softly. "I'm all right, Agni. Didn't fall off my stool this time."

He looks so relieved that I can't help the slight snicker that escapes me. "Cy found me just in time. Er, Cyrille, that is. Agni, this is Cyrille, Cyrille, my brother Agni."

Cy holds out his hand and Agni shakes it, they share a smile. "You can call me Cy, I don't mind. Now I also know that we're not supposed to eat or drink in here but I'm pretty sure there's only the four of us left, I thought I could head out and bring back some lunch sandwiches and some smoothies?"

The offer is tempting, I don't see why we could refuse.

"I know what Armin might like but I have no idea what either one of you would like though. Maybe you could note it down on some paper?"

"I can go with you."

I blink at Agni, my head tilting slightly to the side as we finally stop by the desk where Armin is putting up the last of the emergency lights. We still need to get those solar powered ones.

"Well, I guess we all three could go but I'd feel bad for leaving Armin alone." Agni's words are thoughtful as he leans lightly against the counter. He seems so open right now, it's warming to know that Élodie hasn't scared him off of strangers completely.

"I don't mind being alone." Armin's answer is what I expected but it hardly means that like it. "Well I mind so I'll stay. Cy and Agni can go off and get some food and be sneaky-sneaky in bringing it back in."

"We can eat outside on the steps, it's still warm and sunny."

"M'kay, we'll wait for you guys out on the steps, then."

And that was it. Agni and Cy were heading out to get some lunch while I waited for Armin to round the desk. We had a long glance out and about to make sure everyone was out and we finally stepped outside. I really hope Cyrille is nothing like his sister. I don't want Agni to be hurt again and I certainly don't want to be hurt either.


	7. Genius

I feel like a chaperone, I can't say I'm really complaining. Mira keeps on sneaking glances at Cyrille and I can only wonder. He looks like he's mostly just trying to make his mind. I haven't seen Élodie in some time though. Not much of an issue, she kept on disturbing everyone she approached in the library. Still, it's strange.

I chuckle softly however as Agni suddenly puts his smoothie down with a low whine. "You were told not to drink it up so quickly, Agni." 

Brain freeze, it seems. It's not all that uncommon and with these two I'm even less surprised as I know they're still learning about the ways of life but still. Mira seems a bit more poised when it comes to sipping from his cold drink.

We're just sitting in the shade of the building, on the steps. Sub sandwiches have been bought and eaten, though I should say devoured when it comes to these three. We're talking about this and that, meaningless discussions that still teach so much. I think Mira is just trying to get to know Cyrille a bit more, to see if he's someone to be trusted or not, I guess.

I've known Cyrille for years now and he's grown up to be a wonderful young man, almost eighteen now, that he chooses such colourful dyes for his hair is something I've learned to accept as who he is. I wish I could say the same about his sister but I shouldn't talk or think bad of people.

"So he was a genius?" Agni's question startles me out of my slight drift off into the world of thoughts and I look back towards the trio.

"Well, most people consider him one. They say he was one of the greatest scientist of the twentieth century." The blank look he receives from the twin amuses me more than it should, it really does.

"They've had rough lives and I think it's safe to say that up until a few months ago they mostly lived under a rock, so a lot of things you'll mention they'll give you these blank sort of look." I offer the words softly and Mira pouts lightly while Agni grumbles somewhat.

Cyrille shrugs but grins moments later. "That's okay. I'm just saying, Einstein is a genius, he brought so much into this world and a lot of how we go about things today would be different if not for him. At least that's how I see it."

His passion for knowledge as a whole amazes me to this day. I know he and Élodie were home-schooled, it's why he spends so much time in the library right now. I've met their parents a few times, bright minds, a little eccentric but not really in a bad way. I think their son here might just be a good sort of friend for the twins. They need someone their age around. Spending all of their time around me and the others doesn't really help them in developing friendships with others who might be closer to their age.

  


On the bus ride back home, the twins sit not far from me. I try not to spy in on their conversation but they're so close that it's hard not to. It isn't as if they're trying to keep it to themselves either. They're not shouting but their voices are soft though not hushed.

"He's nice." Is the first thing I catch, the words coming from Agni I'm rather certain.

There's a slight rustle of clothing and I have to assume that Mira might be shrugging. "He's Élodie's brother."

"Oh." Well, that's different. I didn't know they'd met Élodie and by the short sound that escaped Agni, I have to imagine or assume that it didn't end well.

"I mean, okay, he's her brother but so far he's nice and he told me he's nothing like her. I guess it's that whole 'shouldn't judge' thing and it's just so hard, I don't want you to be hurt, Agni. Not after what she did to you."

"Well, so far he's been nothing but nice. We walked while we were on the way to get lunch and he just asked me simple enough questions, how I liked it in the area, how I liked the job. He said he liked my hair and yours too. Just, he doesn't seem like her at all just now. He could have tried."

"He could have. I guess it's just going to be one of those one day after the other thing."

"Probably."

That might also explain why Agni had been hiding out near the back shelves whenever Élodie was in the library until she stopped coming along. I could try to pry lightly into their minds but I swore to myself I wouldn't, so I won't. It's not my place.

Honestly, all I want for these two is a little peace. They've been through hell. Their sister wandering off and trying to drag them with, to move in with her boyfriend hasn't helped. They looked so scared when they came to my door, I didn't ask any questions, I just let them in. They needed some place to hide and I provided, it seemed entirely natural.

As we get off the bus, they wait for me to be at their sides before we start on the short trek to our house and home. While it doesn't look like any house I've ever been near, it is home. I don't think I would ever want to move out and try to start my life anew anywhere else. If I were to somehow, magically so, meet someone who could make me feel loved again, I'd ask them to move in with me. Though I suppose that whole gifted versus not might be an issue. I don't mind.

They hold open the door as we get to the building and I chuckle gently as I step inside. I only take one step back and out of the way so they can come in as well. I usually don't, I head down straight to my door so they both stop once inside, as if expecting something and I smile at them both gently.

"I overheard you two talking on the bus, I didn't mean to but I did. I've known Cyrille and Élodie for a good number of years now. I can promise you that they are nothing alike. I've honestly never really seen twins be so different. You two are more like one another than Cyrille is to Élodie. He's very kind and I think he would make for a good friend if you gave him a chance."

Agni's eyes brighten, I think it's at the chance of making a friend his own age. Mira however still doesn't look so certain and I do reach out to brush some hair from his face with a gentle note. "Just give him a chance. If you'd feel better about it, I can play chaperone the way I did today. We can all spend time together. I know Eoghan planned for an outing this weekend, somewhere at the beach while the weather is now just comfortable enough. Maybe you could invite him to come along?"

It's hard to do anything 'wrong' when you're surrounded by people at the beach, at least that's how I see it and that's how I hope they both might see it.

"We still have the rest of the week ahead of us, so just give it some thought, okay? Now you two head on up and see about getting a good meal into your bodies. We'll have a lot of work ahead of us considering that a lot of the books we were supposed to put away today we couldn't."

They both smile and start up the stairs to head up to their floor. I just watch them for a moment, until they disappear from my sight and then I start down the hallway to my own door. 

They need friends, that's all I really know on this subject and I believe Cyrille is a good choice.


	8. Country Road

I hadn't expected the van to be filled. With Zora missing, we should have only been seven and we'd have fit just fine in the van but there was eight of us so we actually split into two vehicles. I think I'm going to have to get something a bit bigger than a van when we're planning outings that require more than just our presence. From the floaters to the picnics, the umbrellas, the towels, the lotions, the back was packed and there was some in the lap of the kids out on the back seat.

I only met Cyrille on the evening of, when I went to get them from the library since it was pouring in a bad way. I can now think back on how good an idea it was that I didn't take the sports car though that was mostly based on the rain and how I didn't want to have to get out to be able to let the twins in.

Armin settled up front as is usual for him and in the back, I had Agni on one side, Mira next to him in the middle and next to Mira a young man, a teenager not much older than them, whose hair was a rather deep blue with red highlights. It was startling but rather amusing. They introduced him as Cy and asked if I could drive him home since he'd otherwise be walking in this rain and they didn't feel right about that. The day had started out bright and clear so I assumed that he hadn't brought an umbrella.

So I did take him home. It's only when I stopped outside of his gated yard that I realized why his face seemed so distantly familiar. I've known his parents, or at least, I've met them a few times in the past while they were in the states, visiting on official business. I don't know why this kid has no car of his own, his parents are loaded and I assume they might not let their kids go without a good allowance but it's not my place to ask.

Before he got out of the car, Mira asked if he could come with us to the beach on the following day. I figured it wouldn't hurt.

  


"Why is this road so bu-u-u-umpy?" The road is bumpy. Bumpier than I recall it though it might just be that the car needs a bit of a tune-up, especially the suspension. Though a new car might just be easier, something with more room. I do have to laugh at Mira's softly plaintive tone though I know I shouldn't. He's at the back, on the left side and that is where most of the potholes are. Armin, Quentin and Yael in the center aren't much more safer from them than the boys at the back but still, they are, to a slight point.

Next to him, Cyrille snickers though he tries to hide it behind his hand as he feigns a slight cough. I like this kid.

"Country roads like these are bound to be bumpy because no one really takes care of them." It's the only answer I can really give him. He closes his eyes again as he tries to not get jolted around too much. I know Lex is doing his best to avoid the holes but the road is in bad shape.

"Why are you on this road then?" Now he's just complaining to complain and I know even his brother his grinning away.

"Because this road is the only one we can take that will get us where we want to be on the beach. It's a private area that a friend of mine owns. We won't be swarmed by visitors and it'll be comfortable with just the eight of us. That's why."

"Well your friend should take care of his road better!"

The whole vehicle fills with laughter, even Lex and Quentin are snickering. I'm so glad the twins are on Quentin's good side. I don't know what his temper would be like and what it'd do to the rest of our car ride, really. Good thoughts are important.

  


I have to admit, the road was pretty uncomfortably bumpy. My ass hurts just thinking back about it and I'm tempted to walk most of the way home after this. We'll see. We might all be too tired to fuss about the bumpy road on the way back.

Once out of the car and on the pristine bit of beach that no one else would bother us on, we unpacked. Well, most of us helped unpack. The first thing I pulled out was one of the folding chairs and I had Armin settle down on it. He rolled his eyes at me but did settle. I know his wandering along the sand with his crutch might be an issue but I'm hoping we'll work that out as it comes.

Before too long we had a nice little set up, four umbrellas, several towels (more than we needed), the coolers set out in the shade for the time being. A few games set out just in case.

I have a feeling Armin will be mostly staying settled in his chair but that can't hurt. It's a day to relax and appreciate the freshness of the air around us.

The twins are off and running towards the water without much of a warning and Cyrille seems to just be watching them for a minute before he's following them, at a slower pace. I remember this kid from when he was a tiny tot and I'm just hoping he was too young to really remember much of me, else he might be asking himself some questions. He grew up well, I'm glad for that.

"You want to do anything beyond just relax in your chair for most of the day, Armin?"

He looks up to me as I ask him the question. He tilts his head to the side before chuckling and closing his eyes. "This chair is actually surprisingly comfortable and if I need anything I'll holler for you, yessss?"

The grin on his face, it warms me. I remember just months back when he was still very much mourning the loss of his lover, he's changed so much in such a short amount of time, I feel like I'm doing something right. 

"I've been meaning to talk to you about something though."

I blink down at him and I move to settle in the chair next to him. "I'm all yours. Figuratively."

He grins but rolls his eyes. "You and Alexis have done a beautiful job in the library last time someone broke in-"

"Did someone break in again?"

"Eoghan!"

"Sorry, sorry, go on."

"No, it's just that at least once every other week now the electricity just shuts off. I know it's not just a simple fix and I know I shouldn't even be bringing this up to you but I have to. You and Alexis know this whole world better than I do. I'm honestly terrified that one of these days, there's going to be a spark before the electricity shuts off and the whole place will catch fire. I don't know how I'd handle any of that. Isn't there anything that you could do?"

His words seem to tug a memory to the surface and I can't help the thoughtful grin. I had been looking to find something to occupy myself with. I'm sure I could have words with the current owner, since this is really closer to a non-government funded library, and find out if I couldn't buy him out. Fixing up the library little by little would give me something to do.

”You know what, I might have an idea about that. I'll see what I can do about it, okay?"

He nods and smiles at me lightly. This is a good start and this is a good idea.

"Go on and have a swim too, I bet you're dying to get in the water."

"You'll be okay up here on your own?"

He nods and there's that smile again. It's all I really need before I head off towards the water myself. Everyone else is out there right now. It's going to be a good day.


	9. Jagged Edge

"Careful with this one." I don't know who I'm warning, I'm not sure if it's for my brother's benefit or for Cy's own. Even if we did cut ourselves accidentally on the edge of those rocks, we'd heal up nice and quick, Cy's different though and for some reason I feel as if we have to actually keep him safe. It's such a strange sensation. We've only really known him for about a week and yet I feel as though he could be part of this family. So far he hasn't really tried to pull any tricks, he hasn't done anything close to what his sister's done to Agni so I guess I can somewhat feel like I can trust him. He's so genuine, his eyes are bright all the time when he's with us and I feel like I'm important to someone I don't really depend on. It's such a new sensation.

This beach trip is turning out to be a great idea. I honestly wasn't sure at first but if Agni trusts him, who am I to not trust him? He's the one who's been hurt by Élodie so he had even more a reason than I did to not be so certain about her brother but turns out, so far, he's great. While the adults were off discussing I don't know what, we wandered a small distance off. If I look over this huge boulder, I can still see them in the distance and Eoghan hasn't called us back in closer so I have to assume we're still on his friend's property.

We found a little lagoon like spot, the edges are all rock, tiny little ones and bigger ones but there's not a bit of sand until we're almost halfway into the clear blue water. I can't recall seeing water that clear before, at least not here and I can't recall home. The only time I've ever seen it that clear and beautiful is in the pool.

From my hands, Agni takes a sharp edged rock and he looks it over, sitting it on his palm. We're all just sort of sitting side by side, shoulders together and we're looking at the different kind of rocks we can find. Most of them are boring but there are a few pretty ones that I'm tempted to bring home, I'm sure Eoghan wouldn't mind, it's not like they'll take up a lot of room. I might just wrap them up in my shirt and get through the ride home without. It isn't as if it'll kill me.

Once he's done looking over, he murmurs the warning about the edges again and he hands it to Cy who looks at the rock a moment, turns it this way and that in his hand as if to make sure he's seen it from all angles and he goes 'eeeeh' before flinging it out back into the water. Agni laughs and I snicker quietly. It wasn't all that pretty, not like the light purple one we found earlier on. I wish we'd have found at least two, I don't know why I so much feel like sharing but I need to and a tiny part of me feels bad for hogging all the prettiest things we find. Maybe we'll split them before heading back home, for now we're just mostly looking and finding.

  


Eventually, Eoghan calls us back and we make our way carefully around the boulder to get back to his side. Lunch has been set out and none of us really have to be told twice before we start gobbling up the food set out for us. I don't know if it's all that swimming or the running around or the discovering new things but I'm starved and by the way Agni is wolfing down his own food, I know he is too. Cy looks amused more than anything else as he eats at a more moderate pace. At times I think old instincts come back to the surface. For so long we've had only just enough food to get us going and we'd have to eat it slow and steady but now and again, folks tried to take that food from us and we'd have to eat it all up within a few moments, it was unhealthy.

When we're done with the food, I leave my found treasure wrapped in my extra towel and we head for a walk in the opposite direction we'd taken earlier on: away from the boulder. The beach seems endless when we look at it from where we stand and it's something I have to marvel at. I'm so used to just seeing trees blocking pathways or buildings. Even in our yard when you look out towards the back, your vision is blocked by trees and more trees. Here, it's just sand and water.

"So, why do you dye your hair?" Agni's question to Cy startles me out of my slight daydreaming and I look between them a moment. I hadn't noticed that Cy was between us, not that I mind, it's different.

He shrugs and runs one of his hand through his two-toned hair. I can't help but feel something flutter in me when I take in again that he's chosen our colours. I'm sure it wasn't because of us that he's done it but still. "Same reason your guys do, I'm sure."

I see Agni stall for half a step before he's walking with us again and I shake my head. I guess that one small detail hadn't really crossed his mind. Our hair is natural but for anyone out there, it might just be easier to believe that it is dyed indeed. "Y'wouldn't believe us if I told you it's completely natural, huh?"

Cy's brows quirks lightly and his face takes on a look I've grown familiar with already, it's his 'you're shitting me, right?' look. I guess we say a lot of things that are a bit out of the regular norm in conversations, it's not always easy to remember that we're different.

"The red and black I could almost believe is natural but come on, Mira's hair is blue and black, there's no way it's natural."

For a second I think back on something I've read. I know it's farfetched but it's there, on the edge of my mind. "Well, think about it for a moment though, people can have different coloured eyes, people with vitiligo have patches of skin that are paler. What if there was something in our genes that made our hair possible in a natural way?"

He blinks at me, one brow slightly higher up than the other. I think I've raised a good point, really! "Still doesn't really make sense."

"Well, there are people out there whose hair is black with a natural blue tint, that could be my case, just in a really drastic way. The same can be said for Agni, except his is red." I shrug lightly and Cy rolls his eyes. I think I've made my point while I know it's a lie but I can't really help it. We can't just up and tell him we're different this way.

"I dye my hair because I just want to be myself. I'm not much interested in the natural colour I was given at birth and I like more colourful things." It makes sense, really.

Suddenly though, the subject changes because Agni's foot catches on something in the sand (we later found out it was a net, he honestly could have cut himself pretty badly) and he starts to tip forward. He reaches back in an effort to find an anchor to keep himself standing, latches onto Cy's wrist and of course in turn, Cy, trying to keep his balance but being overbalanced by the sudden shift, reaches out and that's my wrist he grabs. We just about all ate a mouthful of sand, it was unpleasant.

After that little semi-accident, we just turned back around after we made sure we were all okay and we walked back to the others. I think we're safer around the boulder. At least there doesn't seem to be any danger on the path leading there.


	10. Out of Date

The idea of spending a day at the beach turned out to be more than a little wonderful. Of course I couldn't go wandering much of anywhere with so much sand and a crutch that sinks whenever I try to get up but it had been forever since I'd just been out in the sun, doing nothing more than sitting there and relaxing. To be honest I think I've never done that before. We'd planned going to the beach, Andoni had found the perfect place where it wasn't quite a sand-beach as everything was little tiny rocks but he'd found a larger sort of foot-pad for my crutch and I wouldn't have sunk quite as much.

We never got to that beach and I guess I told myself that my only chances are seeing the water up close had vanished before I could ever really get a chance to reach out and grab it.

The kids spent most of their time over a large boulder just a slight distance away. Mira came back with more little rocks than I'd seen in some time but I have to give him that, they ere all different. When Eoghan said it was time to wrap up, he tried to split the bundle into three little piles but Cyrille told him he didn't need to so Mira merely wrapped them all up in his towel, knotted it up to keep them safe and it was bundled in with the rest of everything that had been packed up for our day out here.

While they were getting things packed up in the trunk as much as they could, Mira offered to help me to the vehicle so I could settle and more or less be out of the way since I couldn't really help with taking stuff back up to the van. I went with him, I didn't mind. I know I'm not useful when it comes to moving stuff because of my crutch and I take things one day following the other, I tend to not really make any plans.

He walked me to the van, helped me get settled and he reached in his pocket, pulling out a small object he'd found out there, beyond the boulder, he sat it in my hands and disappeared back to help with the rest.

  


It wasn't too long before we were right back on that bumpy road and on the way home. I didn't really pay attention, I was studying what Mira had left with me. It was an old, old sort of watch. The kind you see on old portraits with the little chains dangling from them, old pocket watches. The sight of it was something new for me. I've seen pocket watches before but this was different. It was so old but it looked so well preserved. I tried to get the hands moving but I think it had been damaged too much, at least internally by the water I'd assume, to give me that satisfaction. I didn't mind.

"That is one beautiful watch you've found, Mira." I offered the words towards the back seat once we'd moved beyond the bumpy road, onto straighter a path. "I'll give it back to you once we're home. I could try cleaning it up for you if you'd want."

It was a simple offer, he was the one who'd found it and to me that made sense that he would be the one to get it back, even if he'd handed it to me without really asking me or telling me about what he might have wanted me to do with it. 

"No, no you keep it." His words startled me somewhat and I couldn't really turn to look at him, he was in the seat directly behind me. "When I found it out there, there was something about it that reminded me of you so I want you to keep it."

I feel my cheeks warm just slightly at the thoughtfulness of the gift and I smile. "In that case, thank you Mira, it is absolutely wonderful. I'll see if I can't clean it up and fix it up. Maybe if I can get it running, I might be able to have it on my person."

That idea was wonderful in itself, really. I like old things, watches, books, stories. All this newfangled technology at times goes right over my head. I know I'm not that old but I grew up in a family who preferred traditions to changes. I only ever got my first cellular phone when I was with Andoni and even then it was only ever on when we weren't together and I knew he might try to reach me. Otherwise it was always off. My first computer came from Eoghan and at times some of the things it can do baffle me.

  


Most of the ride home, even during the bumpiness of the road, was quiet. Up front, it was Eoghan driving while Alexis seemed to mostly be looking out the window. On my right, Quentin and Yael had their head leaning together slightly and I imagine this might have been a first for them too. I guess this trip to the beach was a first for most of us. Behind me, it was quiet and since I couldn't really turn to look, I assumed they were mostly just resting. This day had been filled to the brim. Sun, swimming, a nice lunch. I'm sure if we'd packed differently and I know it crossed my mind so maybe it crossed Eoghan's own too, we could have almost camped out here. Tents and the rest are not usually all that difficult to come by and all we'd have needed as an extra was food.

My fingers keep on brushing over the worn back of the watch as I keep it in my hand. I don't really want to put it away. I feel that if I do that, somehow I'll lose it. It'll become nothing but a distant sort of dream and I'll wake up alone and cold in my old apartment. The strangest of things bring that sensation up to the surface. It usually is a vague sort of feeling but at times it grows and almost overwhelms me.

I don't want to wake up and realize that all of this wonderful life I have now going for myself is nothing but a fantasy I've built in my head or worse, nothing but a dream.

"Anyone feel like stopping somewhere to have a bite before we drop everyone home where they belong?" The words startle a few to awareness and I keep a softly amused chuckle to myself. "We could stop at a drive through somewhere though we might have better luck with stopping before the drive through so I can get a list and get it all set up nice and neat, yes? Otherwise I don't mind heading into a take-out place with that list to bring everyone some food."

From behind me, I hear some shuffling and shifting. Yael and Quentin at my side straighten and rub their eyes, as if they'd been woken up from sleep. I guess today has been a pretty exhausting day for everyone.

Eventually though we do get positive answers from almost everyone in the van and once we're almost home, Eoghan heads into the parking lot of one of the nearest food place, the usual sub-sandwiches one. Everyone seems to agree that this choice is fine and after a few more moments, he gets a full list of what everyone wants.

Both Alexis and Eoghan step out and I suppose it makes sense, eight subs, cookies, drinks and for those who care, some soup, it was bound to take a few hands more than normal to carry it back out.

I should be thankful, at this hour, the place is mostly empty so before too long, they come back, arms loaded with bags. When they approach the car, the doors are opened and bags carefully handed out. One for Quentin and Yael, mine, one of the twins and Cyrille so I'm assuming he might be staying the night and they keep the last one left, of course. Easy food to eat once we get back home is more than welcomed after a day spent lazing about in the sun, really.


	11. Policeman

I'm more than a little aware that we haven't actually done anything at all today. We've lazed on the beach, we've had a swim, we ate food, we talked. It was a good day but it was also a day spent out in the heat of the sun and we're all more or less exhausted, so getting home sounds like a wonderful sort of plan. In the back of the van, as we were handing out the meals to be eaten once everyone was where they belonged, I noticed how bright Agni's eyes were. I suppose this is a first for him and Mira both, a sleep over like this. A friend staying with them. 

I imagine they'll have him sleeping on the pull out. They could have him sleep in Zora's bed but I don't know how that might sit with either one of them at this point so the pull out is more than likely the best of options.

When I finally pulled up to our building, I had to slow down. Parked at the front was a police car. I have to admit that this made me uncomfortable. I have no idea why it was there at all. As I neared the driveway, I pulled in and carefully everyone piled out with Yael helping Armin out. The pair went on their way and it is Lex who went up to the car to knock on the window lightly. The guy, or girl, is so far out of the downtown area that it can't just be a coincidence that the car would be there. We're the only ones in this area, after all.

A young man, just a few years older than the twins really from what I could see, eased out from the car and stood up straight. He was slight and small next to Lex, I nearly snickered at the sight but I kept my mouth shut. The twins spotted the car and the uniform and huddle a little. I guess they're not completely over that incident at the store. It was Cyrille who actually said the first word, much to my surprise.

He broke away from our little group as Mira moved to huddle somewhat next to Armin. He stepped up to the policeman, stopping when he was nearly nose to nose with the guy and he rolled his eyes.

"What do you want, Niall?" I don't know whether it was comforting or not that names were known.

"Checking up on you, Cyrille. Dad said you skipped out on your classes this morning and he was worried about you."

"Worried about me, my ass. I'm an adult, I don't need supervision and I told him I wouldn't be going to those classes. I have no desire to follow in his footsteps or yours." His words were calm but there was an edge to them. Lex wasn't standing far, ready to act but I wanted to believe that nothing bad would happen just now.

"Dad also said that you'd talked about spending the day with these two criminals so I wanted to make sure you were still alive." This Niall's tone was beginning to grate on my nerves. He spoke of someone who believed whatever he read or heard was true, whether or not it really was the case. I looked towards the twin, much the same Cyrille did. Agni looked ready to set someone on fire and I think that only Mira's hand on his arm was keeping him still.

"Yeah, I heard about the incident at that store, so what? There is no proof at all that they had planned on stealing that game and that you're basing yourself on what you've heard to come here and talk this way about them speaks very poorly about you. You can tell dad that I'll be home some time tomorrow afternoon. I'm not about to let you try to change my mind. They're my friends and that's that, Niall. I'm pretty sure you're trespassing right now so I'd suggest you leave."

"The young man is right, you're currently parked and standing on private property, you're harassing this young man and his friends without any definitive proof of the crime you claim they've committed, leave before I decide to call in to the station and complain to your superior about this." Lex's words were calm but smooth, he looked unimpressed over the whole situation and I'm not really surprised. I'm pretty sure he's seen that kind of thing before.

The cop looks us all over slowly, one after the other before he snorts and gets back into his car and drives off. He leaves a skid mark on the ground. At least he wasn't parked on the grass, that would have left even more of a mark, not that it would have been hard to fix it.

Cyrille shakes his head and walks back towards the twins, his face is so apologetic that it breaks my heart. It's not as if this is his fault. He's done nothing wrong. Mira looks at him a moment as if he's not sure of what he wants to do but after a few heartbeats he moves his clinging from Armin's good arm to Cyrille's body and Agni is hugging him just as well a second later.

"How about we all eat out back, everyone together, to forget this incident? It's no one's fault but the moron's own. He probably doesn't even have any idea of what he was going on about. If he even thinks of stepping here again, he'll have himself a restraining order, if that's what it takes. I take the protection of those under my roof very, very seriously." All eyes turn my way and there are hesitant nods left and right. I nod to myself and I walk along the side of the building to head towards the back. I'm honestly starving at this point and I just want to eat.

"I'm sorry about this, guys." Cyrille's voice is quiet as he walks between the twins. At the back, I know Lex is walking with Armin. I really should get this part of the yard paved, it would make things so much easier. We still have time before the season is over, I think I'll call someone to have a look and see how easy and quickly it'd be done. I think it would save us from tripping on debris on the way to the back.

Once we're all settled around the table, I light the two small lamps we keep there just for these occasions. I could have gone for the candles but with Cyrille around, the lamps are the better options since I have no matches, Agni usually lights them.

"Now I want everyone to listen to me. What happened here is harassment. I don't care what he thinks is going on in his head, he had no reason at all to be parked up front, just waiting for us. Especially not in a marked police car. I will be calling them in the morning to tell them about this. Understand that I'm not looking to start a war or create trouble but I'm not going to just sit back and let anyone get away with doing things they shouldn't." Lex's voice, smooth and steady as we all begin to slowly unwrap our subs.

There are small nods from the twins and a slightly defeated look on Cyrille's face. It can't be helped, we're really just protecting ourselves, here.

"How about you three come back up with us and you can watch a movie before you get some sleep?" I feel as though that's the least of what I can offer them, at this point. Mira shakes his head lightly and rubs his eyes before he's finally taking a bit of his meal.

"It'd be nice to watch a movie but I think we're all really sort of tired and we still need to set up the pull out though that shouldn't be too long." I can only nod at Agni's answer. Today ends with a slight twist on the usual quiet day but I suppose not all days are meant to be absolutely perfect and peaceful. We'll all be all right.


	12. Delete

I didn't know Lex still had a typewriter, I've honestly not seen one of those in so long. I found it in his boxes of stuff and I brought it out into my office because I thought it looked pretty as could be. It still is functional too, that just adds to the whole deal.

It has been sitting on my desk for the last week now, pretty, clean and I've actually made use of it once. I was mostly checking it over to be sure it still could work. I had to change a few bits and pieces in it but it was minimal work.

In a few hours, everyone will be over for the usual shared meal. I know the twins will want to look at it. I mentioned having found it when I went to pick them up in the middle of the week, figuring it was easier to do so since it was pouring. Again we dropped off Cyrille and then went on our way back home. I don't mind the detour. It feels so good to know the twins have a friend besides us. I mentioned the typewriter on the way home, just for casual conversation. Armin's eyes brightened slightly and I guess he might have worked with one before or might just have a love of old things the way Quentin seems to. The twins were puzzled and I did promise them I would show it to them so I will.

  


It's in the way he stares as it, as if somehow the issue he's having would fix itself and I have to contain my laughter. He's been clicking away carefully at the keys, looking up as he does, expecting things to just 'appear' on the paper the way it does on the screen. It's sweet in its own way. He and Mira are young, they haven't had the life I've had so this is an interesting discovery.

"How does it- Eoghan, I can't delete this line, what am I supposed to do?" I was expecting that and now the laughter does come. I shake my head with a chuckle and I lean over his shoulder to have a read at what he wrote. Of course, I can't make out a single word as I assume he's been writing in Hindi.

"You can't just delete things with a typewriter, Agni. The way this work is that every time you press on a key," and I do so to show him, holding it down lightly, briefly, "is that it clicks up this way, see? It puts ink on the paper. The only way to 'delete' it is to correct it by hand. You two have had it easy with the technology since you've come to be with us but this is how people typed their letters before."

"But it doesn't even work right!"

I lift my brow at his reaction and I just snicker again. At his side, Mira stares at the machine and eventually moves to lightly push at his brother so he can be the one sitting in front of the writer. I roll the paper to a new line so he can give it a try too.

Agni moves, Mira sits in his spot and he looks down at the keys. His fingers move over them much slower, he's picking his letters carefully. He presses a few before he looks up to the paper and then back down to the clicking keys. After a few moment, he leans back and he grins. "I like this!"

I had a feeling he would and I lean over his shoulder to see what he's typed. Like his brother, the words seem to have a mostly Hindi base, at least, the transliterated kind since this is just a typewriter and it most certainly has no way of being able to replicate Devanagari script. Still, unlike his brother, he seems pleased with whatever it is he's written down and I take that as a good sort of sign. They're open to learning about old things just as they are about new ones.

"All right, time to go eat, my little learning monkeys." Mira laughs, the sound closer to a snicker than anything else and Agni only lifts one brow in half-question at the nickname. I shrug and I motion for them both to head out into the main room before I follow them though not before I snag the sheet of paper. I know Armin has some knowledge of Hindi and what he doesn't know I'm sure Lex might just, he's so world travelled after all. I've never spent much time in India, just little visits here and there.

At the table, I slip the paper over to Armin with a questioning glance, he looks down to it and studies it for a moment before he shakes his head and pushes the paper over my way again. It was worth a try even though that didn't really work out. I could look it up on the internet, I know but that doesn't much seem like it would be fair. This was written on paper, I should try to find the answer through other means.

  


After the meal, as we're cleaning up what little is left since everyone tends to help, I pull the paper from my pocket again as I settle next to Lex. The twins are already heading towards the movie room. I know this could be considered spying, really, but I'm just a concerned momma bear. That's all.

Lex looks at the paper a moment, his brows dipping as he focuses on the words. "I can't make out what's written on that first line."

I chuckle and I shake my head. "That was Agni, he couldn't find the 'delete' key. I didn't expect it to make much sense, what about the second line though? That's Mira's and he seemed so pleased with himself."

Again he studies the paper and I can see it on his face he's trying to dig through his memories to bring the language back to the surface of his mind. Eventually he relaxes and chuckles gently. "I think it's about their new friend, the gist of it is that he thinks he's nice and kind and that he likes spending time together, all three of them. Mostly."

I don't know if I should feel elated or surprised. I think it's a little bit of both. I know they've been spending a lot of time together, whenever Cyrille has free time, it seems, he's in the library, volunteering to help them with whatever it is they need help with. I'm glad for that, I'm happy really. These kids needed someone their own age to spend time with and that is the perfect thing right now. From what I've gathered of Cyrille, no thanks to what I remember of his parents really, is that he's a good kid, it's all that matters at this point in time.

I'd been a little afraid of them not really being able to adapt to someone their own age but they've proven me wrong. I couldn't be happier. I'm the happiest momma bear there is around, you wouldn't believe.

I put the paper back into my pocket and I help Lex put away the last of the dishes, it's one of the only times where we use the dishwasher considering the amount of dishes and utensils we do use. Once that's done, we both step from the kitchen and towards the movie room.

If I recall correctly, tonight is Armin's night so I'm not too sure what we'll be watching. Last week we ended up watching a documentary on caves of all sort. The showing started with groans of disappointment but everyone seemed to have been rather interested and engrossed in the movie. Yael has a tendency for picking documentaries and I can't blame him, they don't watch much of anything else and that's fine by me.


	13. Flying Overhead

From behind the gate to his house, his home though he doesn't seem to care to call it that, we couldn't really see what anything might have been like. There's a lock on the gate that leads to his house, that leads to the driveway. It looks expensive, his house that is. When Agni asked him if we could visit, just for the day or even just for a few hours after work, he hesitated. He said he wasn't sure if his parents would be home and if they were that it might not be such a good idea.

I guess after the issue with the police guy, he told us that Niall was his older brother and that he has an older sister too, Magali, that he didn't want to put us in any danger and that his father did not really like anyone who wasn't classy or something. I'm not sure what it meant and I didn't really ask.

Still, Agni just about used the puppy eyes, something I'd never really seen him do because those just don't work on me and I'm pretty sure they never have worked on Zora either. Cy caved in but before we left the library, he called at home and he asked whoever answered the call if his parents were home, they weren't. They were out for the week (something he told us after). I guess that sealed the deal. He answered a few questions and since we couldn't hear the other side of the discussion we couldn't really know what was being said.

Once he hung up, he started heading in the direction of the nearest bus stop that would take him- us, home. "I was talking to Magali, she's a bit younger than Niall but older than me. She's nice, I like her and she seems to like me just fine too. She didn't take the road dad was wanting her to take, the way I'm going about my life too and I guess that's why we're not at odds. Well she asked if I wanted her to come and pick us up but I told her we could take the bus."

Taking the bus is just fine by me, really. I see no harm to bus-taking. It honestly is even a habit at this point, the only time we don't take the bus is when it's pouring pretty badly out here and Eoghan offers to come pick us up. That and really bad snow storms. Otherwise, we're on that bus like clockwork.

  


The bus drops us off several blocks away from his house and we walk up the road in relative quiet and peace. I'm not sure why Agni asked to visit but it's not such a bad idea. It gives us a chance at knowing him a little better, I guess. I'm just happy I know him at this point, it's nice to have someone our age to talk to. Not that I hide anything from Eoghan or Armin or the others but this just feels different, I can't help it.

The moment we're up to the gate, I can hear a sort of distant barking sound. I'm not sure what to make of it but the smile on Cy's face seems to state that whatever it is, is a good thing. He enters a code on the keypad next to the gate and it clicks open. There's two areas to it, the gate that is. A small side door, the one we're taking and a huge one that seems to be on wheels so I guess it slides open when someone in a car needs to come in. I've never seen that kind of thing before, I guess it's a security feature but it makes me wonder why we don't see it more often or why we don't have that at home.

We step inside and he tugs the door closed behind us, it clicks shut and locked. The barking is still somewhat distant but now, accompanying it, I can hear a sort of humming sound, I'm not sure how to describe it, it's such a new sound.

He leads us up the driveway but instead of heading for the front door, he goes around to the side, a small pathways with flowers and vines and so much green stuff that you'd think you stepped into a sort of forest-garden. It's beautiful and the scents from the still blooming flowers is wonderful.

The barking is louder now and in the distance as we finally come into a large yard, I can see a sort of dog. It looks huge even from this distance. It's chasing something as it flies over its head and whatever that it is what I was hearing, the humming. Cy stops where he stands and we settle at his side, for a while we're just watching this dog chasing whatever it is it is chasing. Eventually though, I have to break the silence, I suppose it's curiosity, really. "What is that?"

"What, the dog or the plane?" He laughs softly, shaking his head.

"What's a plane?" Agni gets to the question before I do and that's fine by me. I mean we both have no idea what a plane is and I'm curious to know more. I watch it swoop down low then rise up again to the sky.

"You're kidding me, right? No, I guess you're not by the looks on your faces, I forget that there are some things you still don't know about. You two are so strange. Not in a bad way though."

I'd be hoping that it's not in a bad way, I don't really want to be seen as strange, the thought just hurts, really. I'm just me.

"Magali, can you land the plane for a second, my friends want to see it!" He calls out to his left. I look up to where he's looking and I see a woman on a balcony. All I can really make out is that her hair is really long and pale, almost platinum really. She seems to be wearing a sort of summer dress, not all that different from the one Élodie had been wearing but it looks better on this woman, I think. She waves at us, or maybe just at Cy before she turns her attention to whatever that black box in her hand is. Before too long, the plane, the humming, flying thing, is landing and of course, as it does, the huge dog comes running our way.

I almost back away and I guess my motion is enough for Cy to understand that this is new and somewhat frightening for me because he steps forward, to stop the dog from bowling us down, I guess. I'm thankful for that. That dog is probably heavier than either one of us is and that thought makes me uncomfortable, I'm pretty sure it could crush me if it wanted to though I don't think it will, it looks friendly now that Cy has gone down to its level.

My fascination for the dog is short lived though, I turn my gaze to the plane now as it sits on the ground and I just study it. I'm not really sure what to make of it but it's different and obviously it flies. That alone is a wonderful sort of thing. I have vague, faded memories of floating slightly off the ground when I was young, before our family died. Of course it was with a lot of help from cousins and family who also were gifted with the wind gift but still.

I'm not sure what the point of a plane with but I can see that it amuses the dog well enough and that's plenty for me at this point. I'm glad to know there are things out there for everyone, even for dogs and that's what matters.


	14. On a Mission

He's been out there for a few hours now. Just crawling left and right, peering behind bricks and bushes, looking at the ground, then up at the sky and then back over the horizon. He was out before I was even up and that's saying something. I doubt he could see much of anything outside at that point but it's not much my place to hound him about that. He does what he want, still I don't know what's going on and I'm a little curious, this is a first for him.

I step outside, staying on the area near the swing and I just watch it for a moment. After a while of quietness though, my curiosity gets the better of me and I do step somewhat closer to him, just barely, just enough to be within his line of sight, to be within hearing distance.

"What are you-"

"Shhhh, mission."

"Eoghan, what are-"

"Shush, I'm on a mission." His words are low, murmured really and I can barely make them out. I can only stare at him as he nearly crawls along the grass, looking left and right slowly as if he's looking for something. I leave him be for the time being. I have no idea what he's going on about and I'm not about to start bugging him about it. Whenever he gets down with whatever it is he's doing, I'll ask him but for now, I suppose I should just amuse myself with watching him walk around this way though it hardly is walking.

He half-crawls half-stalks to the left, looking suddenly behind a bush with a 'ha!' only to groan and move away from the bush and resume his stalking, hunting mission. I don't know what's gotten into him, really. I don't recall his losing anything out here on the grass or mentioning he lost anything in the grass so I don't know. 

He looks a bit like a child and I shake my head. I settle down on the swing and I close my eyes. At times I tell myself I could bring Adela down here to the grass area but I tell myself it might be easy to lose her despite her size. Then I think I could just bring her up to the roof but then, despite all the fencing, I'm half afraid she might try climbing down and then what? No, she's fine in her larger-than-should be room. At times when I step inside to check in on her I have to look around to find her, she's so well hidden and comfortable in a nook somewhere.

I look out and over and he's almost out of sight, though now at least he's back up on his feet, so to speak. He's no longer crawling around but he is on his hands and knees and he parts grass left and right. I guess he has lost something, I don't know what, I might eventually know, whenever he'll feel like telling me.

There he finally moves from knees to feet and he's tiptoeing around, looking up trees and just generally doing whatever I think he should be doing on his mission, or at least I figure. 

  


"Mission failed."

I look up to him as he finally stands next to me. He's filthy, as if he'd rolled around in dirt and I can only find confusion in that. He's usually not the kind to do that kind of thing but I guess there's a first time for everything.

"Want to tell me what this special mission was about before I hose you down so you don't track dirt all over the floors?" He shrugs and smiles sheepishly. I can only roll my eyes but I let it be. He moves to stand on a clear patch of ground and I get the hose. I'll let him have my shirt to go back inside with, his clothes are as filthy as he is.

"I was just trying to find on particular bug and I couldn't find it."

"This whole thing was about finding a bug?" It's hard to believe, really. He's never been that big on bug finding so I can't help myself. Maybe it's a new passion he's developing. I'm not sure how I feel about the dirt though.

"Well, I saw pictures online and they said we were supposed to have these around in the yard and I don't know why, I just felt the urge to try to find one."

"At times, Eoghan, I swear I don't get your odd urges. Not that they're bad things, just different ones." I chuckle as I hose him off. He takes off his shirt and his pants, just enjoying the water for a few moments before I turn it off. I shrug off my shirt and hand it over to him. It would get wet but that was aside the point. I know no one would stare or really look but I don't really want to chance anything, the twins are home after all and so is Armin. He looks down at his bare skin for a moment and then takes the shirt, shrugging it on. 

He grins at the reflection of himself he sees in the panes of the glass doors leading inside, wearing nothing but a shirt that just barely brushes the middle of his thighs. It's rare I wear somewhat longer shirts, otherwise it wouldn't have made much of a difference if he'd been wearing it or not.

I put the hose back where it belongs and I move to gather his soaked clothes to hang them to dry. With that done, I head inside and he follows, almost at my heel. "I'm sorry if I was weird out there."

"Not so much weird as just different. I was wondering what you were doing and since you didn't seem too interested in letting me know about it, I just let it be. But honestly Eoghan, it looks like you've rolled around in dirt trying to find something we might or might not have in our yard." I chuckle softly, to let him know that I don't mind the behaviour so much.

We head up by the elevator and once in our home, I step to the bathroom to get a nice, warm shower going. Hot is out of the question, the season doesn't call for hot showers at this point and cool is just a little uncomfortable since the heat isn't all that bad, just present.

He steps into the bathroom and tugs the shirt over his head with another sheepish note. 

"For your mock-punishment to having failed your mission," he looks at me with wide, surprised eyes and I smile down at him playfully, "you are to shower alone. I was thinking of joining you but I think you need to wash up completely first, then you tell me more about this bug and then, just then, we'll see about anything else we might decide to do that's bound to be more interesting than bug-chasing, yes?"

He blushes lightly but his eyes are warm and understanding. He slips into the shower and I step back out into our bedroom with a stretch. I can't blame him for his sudden desire to go bug-chasing, really. I know I've done my share of strange things overtime so I can't hold this one against him. I just don't recall a time where I might have gotten myself so absolutely filthy while doing so. Maybe when I was so much younger, before I ever met him but those times were different, after all.

I shake my head, letting the thought go. Instead I just listen to him in the shower and I have to stop myself from joining him. It would be a fun sort of thing to do but I think it might just be best to let him wash up in peace, think over about what his little mission was about and if it was worth the whole thing, really.


	15. miniature __________

"So it's a what?"

"A miniature plane. You guys really have never seen a plane before?"

Mira shakes his head lightly, I'm too busy staring at this plane thing, sitting there on the ground with the huge dog just a pace or so away settled down and resting. Cy has been trying to explain the whole 'plane' deal to us for a little while now. He looks amused more than exasperated so I'm a little grateful for that. I know we're different, I know there's a lot we're still learning about on a daily basis and I'm just he's patient with us. I really like him, he's nice.

"I'll have to bring you guys upstairs and find the book. This is just a toy, it's for the dog. She loves chasing it around. It drains her of her energy and we don't have to worry about her wandering through the house at night. She used to that a lot before Magali thought about getting that plane model to see if the dog would chase it. She does, case closed." He pauses and looks out in the distance of the yard, lush green grass, large trees, a few flower beds, it's beautiful really. I think Zora might have liked it if she hadn't run off on us.

Cy moves to his feet and we follow along, even the dog. She comes up to my waist and then some, it's a little intimidating but she looks sweet as can be, she hasn't tried to make a grab for us yet and Cy looks peaceful as can be to have her around so I trust him.

He glances our way and I guess he must see Mira looking at the dog somewhat uncomfortably as we head up stairs and he laughs softly. "She's huge, wolfhounds are normally huge and if she'd been a male she'd have been bigger but she's a big sweetheart, I promise you." 

Mira nods but still only looks half convinced. I shake my head, slightly amused though I try to think back to see if I ever recall a time where we might have been near a big dog to leave him feeling uncomfortable this way. My mind draws a blank but I know it might only be because I don't remember, not because it might not have happened.

"I'll get used to her, I'm just- she's really big but I can tell she's not really dangerous, at least not in the way she acts right now. Sorry."

"No reason to apologize, I understand where you came from. If I hadn't seen her grow up I might have reacted differently. We got her when she was just a tiny little thing, though not that tiny but you get the idea." I personally did get the idea but Mira was distracted still, I know it'll pass, it usually does.

  


"So this is a photo of the planes we tend to see in the sky nowadays. That little person you see at the top of the stairs is a real person so it can give you an idea of how big they might get. Folks get on those and they travel all over the world. If you guys have never seen a plane before, how'd you get here? I mean, you weren't born here, were you?"

Mira's mouth opens before I can utter anything and I let him. At times I feel like he has a better story-telling gift than me though it isn't really about story-telling just now. "We were born in India. There was a terrible accident when we still were really young and Zora took us, she fled. I guess we came by boat but we were so young I don't really remember much."

He shrugs gently and I rub my eyes. I'm not tired, I'm just relaxing a little. The dog, we found out her registered name, whatever that is, is really long but he calls her Ophé though so far when he's spoken to her he seems to drop the O but she's his dog, however he calls her is up to him, she's settled on a large dog bed not far from his own, we're all sitting near the computer, looking at the pictures he brings up and listening to his explanations on planes.

"So are there miniature version of everything on this planet?" Mira's curiosity is beginning to take root and I'm more than glad for that, it means he's beginning to grow comfortable where we are which was one of the points to this visit. He stopped constantly looking at Ophé and he's more focused on the knowledge. Learning new things has always helped him move on from uncomfortable to completely focused.

"Well, there are miniature versions of a lot of things. Planes, boats, cars. A lot of kid toys are based on their bigger version but most of the time the details are toned down. I don't have the toys I grew up with anymore, when I was old enough I packed them up and demanded that I be taken to the nearest thrift shop so I could donate them." His lips quirk in a slightly amused way, as if what he's remembering is amusing. I suppose it might be if I could really understand. I know what thrift shops are, they survive on donations and on old things, they sell at a cheap price. I guess if his toys still were in good condition it made sense that he'd donate them.

  


"Are you guys sure you don't want me to ride the bus along until your stop? I don't mind being on the bus for a while until I get back home. There's the whole transferring deal." He sounds so worried, I think it's sweet. I shake my head as we slip our shoes back on. It seemed a bad idea to wander around such a clean house with our shoes on.

"Cyrille, we just take the bus to the library, we drop off and cross the street to get to our usual station, we could call to let you know we've gotten home in one piece if that will make you feel better?" He sighs but nods slightly. I get that he doesn't like spending much time in that house though it is currently empty except for his older sister and the dog. I wish he felt more comfortable in his own life but I guess we can't all have everything, this I learned when I was really young.

Mira moved forward and hugs him tightly. Cy looks startled for all of a second before he's hugging my brother back, burying his face briefly in those two-toned locks. I chuckle softly and he looks up, blushing subtly, as if he'd been caught doing something he shouldn't have done.

"We're just going home, Cy, we'll be there in an hour at most and we'll call you from there. Next weekend you can come over again and we'll have a swim on the roof." His eyes brighten a little as Mira steps back and I step forward to have a hug of my own. It's strange to hug someone other than Mira but it feels right, even if I feel so short next to him. There's nothing wrong with that.

He does insist on walking us to the bus stop, to staying with us until we're on the bus and it is taking us away, back to our own home. He waves and we mirror the motion until we can no longer see him. I can only sigh, a slight sort of sound as I lean back into my seat, Mira next to me. The bus is mostly empty at this hour and I like it just fine that way. I'm not worried about getting home, we know the way, I just wish we could have stayed longer or taken him home with us.

He fits the bill of what Eoghan sees as 'needing', in my mind. He's unhappy and uncomfortable where he lives now though he has a roof over his head and all the meals he requires, so I know it wouldn't really work out. Still, I guess it's one thought of many.


	16. It Never Worked Before

He's puppy-eying me. It's not the first time, I know it won't be the last. Usually I don't let it get to me but there's just something about the way he looks today, I don't know. It might just be because I haven't had myself enough sleep, I figure that's more than likely what this is about. Usually he turns the eyes on when he missed something or wants something we don't have, in the long run that would require me to head out for him to get from the store while he stays home. Most days I mind because most days I do have to work on my commissions and most days he doesn't.

Though I know he's been busy with trying to get his hands on the library so he can try to make sure it doesn't burn down and it has some work done so it doesn't fall apart, it doesn't mean I should cave in to his sweet little puppy eyes to stop what I'm doing to get him what he wants.

  


Just for once I caved in, he's looking at me like I've grown a second head and I can only roll my eyes at him as I thrust the bag over to him. I don't even like what he's asked for so even if I could claim that I felt like getting these things for me, it would have been a lie. He only grins at me, his eyes bright and he goes right for the first can of coconut water. I don't mind the stuff but I don't usually drink it.

"I never manage to get you to go to the store for me at times like these, what changed?"

I shrug before I stretch and I turn to head back to the couch where I had been settled with a book before he came to more or less stare at me with those eyes. "I don't know, it happened just once and it likely won't happen again. I suppose it comes from the fact that you've been working so hard on getting all the paperwork and the information ready for the whole library deal you're working on and my commissions have been far and few. You were busy and I wasn't."

Which is the truth, in the long run. He was busy and I wasn't. It might happen again in the future but it's unlikely. I made a note on our shopping list to add coconut water to it so that we might just have some on hand constantly. That one he can't puppy-eye me into getting him some. Next he wants something, I'll just note it on the list and he'll have to wait until we're shopping.

"Thank you. I know you didn't have to and I would have gone without but I really appreciate that you did get them." Of course I'd gotten them. I mean, I might act like an ass at times but I'm not and while I don't like to give in to his begging, that's what I see puppy-eyes as, begging, I don't really like to keep things from him. 

I could very simply have gotten something from the fridge, a glass of juice or even just some very plain waters but I know that at times the body craves particular things and juice or flat water won't really fix that craving. This was one of those cravings, I could tell. He might be the one with the brain wired to read other's own but I know him well enough to read his reactions to things and read his face. It's in the way he talks, in the way he acts. I can ignore things easier when I know he doesn't really want them.

  


I'm not sure how much more time he spends on his paperwork and it honestly doesn't really matter in the end. I know I'm busy when I am and he doesn't disturb me until I come out of my work room on my own.

When he joins me on the couch, settling almost directly into my lap, I can only laugh softly as I finish my sentence, set the bookmark in its place and put the book away for the time being. With that done he shifts, moves and settles properly on my lap. I curl my arm about his waist and simply hug him close, resting my chin lightly against his shoulder. 

"All done?"

He nods and hums softly under his breath. This whole thing is coming along well. I wish I could have taken care of the library deal but he said he wanted to do it himself. The current building owner refuses to sell, states he's doing all he can to make sure the building is in as perfect a condition as he can keep it but we both know that's a lie. Eoghan has been gathering all the information he can find on the building, taking notes of all the repairs that have needed to be done recently, all the electricity issues, the clean up following the vandalism. His work is coming along well and he'll be bringing it to attention soon.

It's not something we usually do, this 'dirtying' of someone's reputation but when you claim you're working on something for its best interest but really, you're just barely doing anything for it, it looks bad. If you offer your building to be used as a public library, you should be keeping it in good condition, you should be making sure no fires could break out. It's a lot of work but it is part of the lot and it needs to be taken into consideration.

I shake the whole thing off for a moment and I tighten my arm about his waist. "I know you'll do great once everything is gathered and you've got your case working. I'm pretty sure you'll get what you want and once that happens I'll help you along with taking care of the building as much as you need." 

Of course I'll help. He's a bit part of my life and his projects are my projects, after all. I help him much as he helps me and that's just how things go, in the long run. He chuckles softly and turns his head just so to nuzzle my cheek lightly, briefly. I let the subject drop for the time being and I close my eyes. I'm just happy to be able to hold him this way for now, I can forget about everything for a few moments.

"Was that water worth my trip outside into the evil summer?" I murmur the words after a few minutes. He snickers and wiggles again before settling.

"It was refreshing, I don't know where the sudden craving came from but thank you for getting it for me. I know you didn't have to and I'm honestly surprised when you got up and walked out. I honestly thought I'd made you mad or something for a bit, or at least until you came back, then I was mostly confused but very, very happy."

I'm glad he appreciated it. At times I get cravings too but I prefer to ignore them if I can. I see no point in giving in to them since most of my cravings are for food that either require a lot of time to prepare or can't be found anywhere near to where we are. After a while, the craving goes and I can go on with my daily work as if nothing had actually happened.

"I've put it on the list so we have some in the fridge on a regular basis from now on. I know your cravings are more easily catered to than mine so I don't mind making sure we have it in the fridge." He hums softly and shifts to settle more closely. This is how we tend to 'kiss and make up' after we've had a fight, though this was hardly a fight. The way we end our day is always the best of ways as far as I'm concerned.


	17. a bottle of __________

He sniffs the air around himself briefly then he turns to me, sniffs some more and then he turns to Cy. "What is that?"

His question is vague but by the look on Cy's face I assume he might meant that scent that gently wafted in as he walked up to the desk with the usual pastries. I swear he's trying to fatten us up. Not that he'll manage, I burn calories faster than I can usually ingest them and Mira is Mira.

"I suppose that might be my cologne?" He's trying hard to will the blush away from his face and I have to stop myself from snickering. It's an amusing sight. He's usually so composed. "And before you ask, cologne is a scented sort of water that you put on when you want to smell good."

There it comes, I can see the confusion on Mira's face. I'm not sure I get what cologne is but I just want to watch right now, I can't help it. "But you smell just fine all the time so why cologne?"

Called it. Cyrille blushes a little more deeply and he ducks his head. I have to grin, I can't help myself. I shake my head as he shrugs and settles one hand behind his neck, as if it might help him work on getting over all that blushing he's doing. "Well, er, thank you. I just wanted to try something new and it was on sale and I thought it smelled good."

To that, Mira of course moves a little closer and he breathes in deeply. He leans back and nods. "It does smell nice, I just thought it was weird, is all. But it's okay."

With that out of the way, Cy grins slightly, still blushing and uncertain. He looks up my way and I can only offer him a shrug and chuckle. I have no desire to be of any help in the situation. Mira is just Mira, he's more open to asking questions right now than I am so he asks them more often than I do. I see Cyrille as a friend, an almost, just almost brother of sorts, not quite but I think I might come to love him the way I do Mira in time. I don't know how Mira sees him but if anything ever comes to develop between these two, I'll just have to agree to it.

"It does smell nice, Cy, don't worry. You know us, we've lived under rocks for the better part of our lives." I chuckle softly again and he shoots me a look though it is playful more than anything else. I'm not helping and I know it. 

Armin shoos all of us off to go and place the books we need to while we still have some time before the usual lunch break.

  


When the day is through, Cyrille offers for us to spend just a little more time out in the area around the library since he has classes in the evenings and he won't be able to stay around for too long. Mira offers that we stop somewhere for coffee and I feel something freeze briefly within me at the mention of coffee. The one shop nearest to the library is one that holds one particularly bad memory for me though I know I shouldn't focus on it too much. 

As they start heading that way but I don't, Mira stops and turns to face me. Realization dawns on him after a moment and he shakes his head with a frown. "Maybe we should try another place."

Cy, just a step further away stops with a blink and he turns to face the both of us. "Oh hell I forgot that's where she'd invited you. Agni, I promise, if we see her at all I'll just glare murder at her until she leaves, I'll even kick her if that helps you at all."

I blink at him and when the words sink in, I laugh, the sound is low and somewhat uncertain but I have to laugh, really. It's not that I need protection, it's just that I don't feel like I can spend much time around in that shop or outside without remembering what happened. It's childish of me, I know but I can't help it.

Finally, I will myself to nod my head somewhat and I step forward, fall in step with my brother and our friend and we step off the stairs and onto the sidewalks to head to the coffee shop. 

Once there, Mira offers to head inside to get us some frozen coffees as treats, leaving me with Cy while we settle at a table, a different one from where I'd sat with her.

After about five minutes, Mira comes back later, a slight grimace to his face as he sets the tray down. "She was inside. She took one look at me and she just looked down and away as if I was a big bad monster."

"Good." Cy's word calm and steady as he squeezes my shoulder and I'm glad he didn't squeeze anything else. I'm just now realizing I haven't stepped in this coffee shop or anywhere near it since she'd invited me out to come and discuss with her. Discuss my ass at this point. I shake my head to clear the memories away and I snag one of the coffees from the tray with a murmured thank you. 

Mira settles at my other side and for the next little while we're all just quiet, sipping at our coffees and enjoying the quietness of the late afternoon. I feel a gentle sort of breeze behind me every time someone walks out of the door and it's only when we're getting ready to leave that I realize Cyrille had settled us just so, so I'd be with my back to the door. I couldn't see anyone go in or our so I guess she walked out and I didn't notice her. Good.

We walk him to his bus stop since it'll come before our own, empty coffees have been discarded and we're mostly just still appreciating the quiet. It's surprising, there usually are a lot more people wandering the streets at this time of the day, so it's different.

"So what kind of class are you heading off to?" I realize that we don't know that much about him. Not that it's much of an issue, he doesn't know that much about us either.

"Oh, tonight is tap-dancing."

"Tap what?"

He laughs at Mira's question and I shake my head with a chuckle. He looks off and sees the bus coming by so I know we won't have time for an explanation, I don't mind. 

"Mira, we'll look it up online when we get home, okay?" That sounds like the best course of action. Mira steals a quick hug from Cyrille before the bus comes and Cy is the one to snag one from me just moments before the big thing stops next to him and its doors slide open. At times you'd think we hug this way because we might never see one another again.

The thought freezes something in me and I stare off, forgetting to wave when his bus drives off again. What if this was what this is? The motion is innate, we just hug because it seems natural and now that I think about it I'm almost scared to think that maybe, one of these days, we will hug and that'll be that, we no longer will see one another.

I shake my head and reach for my brother, hugging him tightly. He blinks at me but hugs me back, knowing I don't usually go for public displays of affection. He also knows better than to ask so when we part ways, we simply cross the street and head to our stop, making it just moments before the bus comes to pick us up. Maybe I'll tell him what crossed my mind later on.


	18. Zero Gravity

"You guys need to stop living under rocks." He looks up at me, as if offended but I know that look well enough, it's his way of reminding me that I need to stop saying that. I tell myself I'll stop saying that when they stop having these really odd reactions to everything in life they don't know about. It's sweet, really but it does make it seem as though they've been living away from the rest of the world. I understand that in their own way they have but there's a limit to everything. At least that's what I tell myself.

"All right, so you've said I've been living under a rock but you still haven't explained why she's just floating there." I snicker at his slight exasperation at not getting an answer and I shush him gently. "I'll explain to everyone who asks when the movie is over."

Those words I whisper to him gently to not keep on disturbing the others who still are watching the movie. I've seen it before already so I don't mind missing out on a scene or two but I'm pretty sure the rest of our little group has never seen it. He pouts but goes back to watching the screen. I know the movie no longer has his interest but I'm also more than a little aware that not everyone likes the same things. This is why we alternate on who picks the movies.

"So why was she floating away? Why were they all?" This is how my after-movie evening began as I tried to find means to explain zero gravity to these four. The twins weren't as curious and I assume they already had some inkling as to the explanation but they were keeping nearby nonetheless, for more information, I guess.

"Here on earth, there's what we call gravity. It's what keeps our feet on the ground, what keeps everything on the ground."

"Clouds aren't on the ground." I roll my eyes at Quentin and only grins at me, that little shit. He's just playing and I know it though he's curious about this whole no gravity thing too, I know.

"Clouds are lighter, the way they're made, and no, I'm not going into details about this, makes them float above us. Now gravity is different in space, people are further away from the planet and the pull of its gravity so they're lighter. Out there in space, there's no gravity whatsoever, so people float."

"But it was a movie, I'm pretty sure they weren't in space." Yael now and I look at him a moment. I groan inwardly as I see the beginning of a grin on his lips. I'm pretty sure he gets the basic idea of thing but now he's just pushing to push.

"You two are swear. You kids head on down to bed, I bet you have a big day ahead of you, Cyrille coming around to swim, yeah?" Mira blushes lightly and Agni merely chuckles before leading his brother off without a complain. I'm glad these guys are friend, it's good for them. I turn back to the other two troublemaker and I put on my best teaching-face. it's not much but it usually works, they both go quiet and calmer.

"They were floating in this movie either because of a lot of special effects- no, you don't get to ask about that, you get to look it up," I stick my tongue out to them, absolutely childish, I know, "or they might have filmed in a zero-g, that's zero gravity, environment. I imagine it's closer to special effects. Now you two get and head on back home before I decide to swat you both for almost ruining the movie."

"I didn't say a single thing!" Quentin's eyes mock-wide with innocence though he reaches out for Yael's wrist and tugs him away. I keep watch of them until they're out the door and I slump lightly into the couch. 

"These two, I swear, they'll be the end of me." I chuckle faintly and shake my head. It can't be helped, I know. They're still learning but there really are limits.

"All clear and everyone home for the night?"

"Well I assume that Yael and Quentin are more than likely crossing the driveway to head back to their home just about now so yeah, it's just the two of us and Adela though I'd like to imagine she won't be much trouble and won't start asking questions like they did just now. What am I, their homeschool teacher?"

Lex's quiet makes me look up to him a moment and there it is, that shit eating grin again. I roll my eyes and I groan softly. "You're the one who called yourself momma bear on several occasions."

"I'm aware but this is about making sure we're all a happy family, not about teaching them the ways of life."

"As far as I'm aware, real parents, parents who are there for their kids teach them about just about a lot of things, not just daily survival skills."

"All right, okay, fine, you win this one but that's the only one you get."

"Oh I can get plenty more."

My cheeks suddenly burn and I can only grin up at him. Yes, we're sexually active, we're open about love with one another but even now, when he utters things like these, I feel timid all over again and it's like he knows so much more about that world than I do and I'm just learning about it all over again. It makes butterflies flutter in my stomach.

"Tonight was a good movie night, Eoghan, questions and all. If they can't learn from us about these things, who are they going to learn from?"

I sigh but straighten lightly, looking towards one of the windows a moment, all I can see from here is bits of the other building. "You're right and I guess it is better that they learn from us instead of learning from anyone else who might not give them the right information. Why are you always right?"

"I'm not always right and we both know this. I'm right most of the time." He winks and I roll my eyes with a chuckle. I hold both my hands out to him and he reaches out, pulling me to my feet. We hug for a moment and I close my eyes with a soft sort of sigh. 

"You think that maybe, eventually, the twins will be fighting over who gets to spend more time with Cyrille than the other?" I can't help that worry. They're friends now but what if things grow? There's only one of the kid and two of these boys.

"In time, Eoghan. Give them time to discover what friendship is. I think all three of them just really need one another as friends right now. Anything else is secondary so don't fuss too much about it."

"I'm not fussing."

"You're fussing and you know it, momma bear."

"Sorry."

He shakes his head and we part from the hug. He keeps one arm about my waist, as to keep me close and we head off towards the bedroom. A bit of washing up before we get some sleep will do us both some good. I know I'm fussing. I haven't known the twins long but I feel like a parent to them and I just want the best for them, no matter what I might need to make sure they get at the very least that much into their life.

"You think Zora will ever come back?"

He blinks at the question and he shrugs as he lightly pushes me towards the bathroom. "I don't know. If she does, she will and that's that. One day, then the other. We can't just rush headlong into things, you of all people should know this better than anyone else."

"You're right. I just don't know, I think I'm a little frazzled."

"We'll take care of that."

Oh I know we will and I'm glad for that.


	19. An Accessory

They haven't grown much since we first saw these two last winter but they have filled out some and they didn't even have any proper winter clothes so despite that it still is early in the season, much too early though the stores I usually check into have stuff year round for everything, I decided it was time to at least get them seasonal jackets so they'd have something properly comfortable to wear once the weather started to cool down. We still have some time before that but I don't want them to be caught by the cold unexpectedly. I suppose I really am a momma bear.

They didn't complain when I said we were going shopping. Mira's eyes even brightened and I suppose that was the best of signs I could have asked for. I try not to spoil them too much but things like these are necessities and they are things they should have already had, so I don't feel so bad letting them decide on whatever they want to then pay for it, for them. It's that simple, they're underage and they're under my roof, they're mind to look over. That's how I see it.

  


"How about this one?" I hold up a slick jacket with just a bit of soft fuzz on the inside. Just enough to keep warm in early to semi-late autumn though far from hot enough for winter. Agni looks up to me, scrunches his nose and goes back to the digging he was doing, looking through other jackets. I laugh softly. Mira looks up in turn, studies it from a distance before he steps closer to me.

"It's nice, a bit big though, isn't it?" It does seem like it would be big on him so I look at the tag and I shake my head. Of course, I hadn't checked.

"Well, as it is a large, it'll be too big." I look down to the hangers, set that one back where it belongs and pull out another one, a small. "That might just be better, no?"

He looks at it again, gingerly takes it from my hand as if anything else might tear it to pieces and he puts it on. He zips it up to his throat then does the few motions I thought him to check and see if what he was trying to buy was a good fit. He 'hugs' himself, to check for the shoulder and arm length in this case. Still somewhat loose but it looks comfortable on him. He smiles, his eyes bright and I have to keep myself from hugging him. They're so precious. I wish I'd met them before. "This in is perfect, thank you Eoghan."

I can only smile and nod as he takes the jacket off and half-folds it to put it in the little hand-basket I'm carrying. I figured we didn't need too much and their cart are honestly too huge for the rows of clothes so this is easier.

"Eoghan?" He looks up at me, his eyes still a little wide but oh so trusting.

"Yes Mira?"

"Can I get something for Cyrille?" I keep myself from laughing at the situation though it would have been a good sort of laugh. This is absolutely priceless, really. I suppose he's at that stage, I don't mind. "Sure, what were you thinking about?"

He tilts his head, his eyes sweeping the store a moment before he walks off to stand at his brother's side. They discuss for a few moments and they disappear off out of my sight. I know they won't go far and I know they learned their lessons about stepping outside with something that was not yet paid for. I'm not worried.

After a few minutes, Mira comes back my way while Agni focuses on the jackets he was studying. He's tried a few on already and none seem to really appeal to him. That's fine, we're in no rush.

Mira steps up to me and he holds up a little box for me to look at. I take it from his hands and study it a moment. From what I can tell of the container, this looks to be some kind of casing for a cellphone along with a little dust-plug for the headphone jack. I don't see why not, it's slight and it has its use though I do have to ask. "You know this goes with a certain type of phone, yes?"

He rolls his eyes at me, as if that was evident. "Of course! He mentioned a few days ago that he needed a new casing for his phone and he has these fancy ones with the apple on the back and that's what that is for, right?"

I look the box over again and I nod with a chuckle. "That is exactly what that is for. How about you go and find something to wrap this in while I see if I can't get your brother to find a jacket he likes?"

There he goes off to the other side of the store again. I like this place, it's mostly a clothing store but it has a few extra tidbits here and there, I suppose they sell.

  


It took us another hour before we had everything we'd come for, that and a bit more but I don't mind, if they're happy with their choices and they'll wear them, I've done what I had set out to do. I each let them carry a bag to the car, each with their own things since they'd insisted on things being scanned in a certain order, much to the clerk's amusement. The little gift and accessory for their friend is in an extra bag and I snagged this one myself, just to keep them from trying to fight with one another in case they couldn't decide on who would carry it. I doubted it'd get to that but I didn't want to chance it.

Once everything is in the car, we settle and I get us on the road to first stop at the ice cream place. They'd behaved so wonderfully well that I figured we all deserved ice cream. I even get some for Lex and got us on our way back home. I could have gotten some for Armin as well but I've noticed that while he seems to appreciate cold treats now and again, he's not big on them. It's not the end of the world and I'm just trying to not force him to accept anything he might not want.

As we get out of the car, bags in tow and desserts in tow, the twins stop next to me and, awkwardly due to full hands, he hugs me, thanks me for the 'outing' I chuckle and hug him back, slipping Cyrille's bag into his own without his noticing. He steps back and Agni steps forward to offer a hug and thanks just the same.

I shoo them up to their floor, heading up to my own where I'll just want to settle for a while, breathe in the air of a job well done. I feel like I've been working well to get these two what they need. I've never really been a parent and I don't know that I ever will be though Lex did mention surrogates. I want to believe that this is a good exercise and a good way to get ready to the idea of children though these two are pretty much all grown up already. Little ones will require much more time and attention but any details for that can be worked out in time. I'm not all that worried.

"I'm back and I've got ice cream." Which, thankfully, still hasn't even begun to melt and I'm thankful for that. The air outside isn't oppressive the way it has been for weeks before and it helped, really. Everything is fine and right and good. I'm happy.


	20. Slumlord

"Armin?" The man looks up from the books he was looking over, putting cards where they belong. Mira approaches him slightly and sits just a pace or so away, as if he's used to invading the man's personal space. Their relationship isn't all that strange to me but it's different from what I'm used to. I don't have many good relationships with adults, with folks who're older than me. There's my tap-dancing teachers but I've known them since I was just a wee child.

"Why are the buildings behind the library in such poor condition?" He murmurs the words, as if he's afraid someone will overhear him. The library is quiet, it's almost empty at this hour and I can't find it in myself to really complain, I like this place when it's quiet the most, it gives me thinking time. I'm curious as to Armin's answer though. I've wondered about their poor conditions but I've never asked. Then again I grew up surrounded by opulence, not that it has led me to living a life of riches, I prefer simpler things, still, there's simpler things and then there's almost abandoned looking.

"Ah, these buildings have a long history, Mira but the short version is that the person who owns them also owns this library and several other buildings. He's trying to make a profit here but he's not bothering with keeping the places cleaned or taken care of. I think the term they usually use for someone like that is slumlord." He shrugs but offers a wry sort of smile. I've heard of slumlords before, mostly in movies and in books. There's no way anything of the kind could have existed in my neighbourhood.

Mira tilts his head to the side and I swear at times I could almost be tempted to believe he's part dog, I've seen Ophé do the same, but eventually he nods though there's still a soft frown to his lips. "Is that why Eoghan is working hard to buy this place so he can fix it up proper so it won't fall apart or catch fire or anything like that?"

Armin blinks at him, as if that was news to him and he shrugs. "In a way I guess it might be. I didn't know what he really was doing after I brought it up to him at the beach. I didn't expect him to go as far as wanting to buy the place but I suppose that is somewhat like him."

Now he sounds somewhat amused and he shakes his head. "Now you go on and get back to these books, yes?" 

Mira blushes, as if sheepish and he disappears back into the rows of books. Armin's gaze lifts and he looks my way, I can only blink and grin sheepishly myself. "Stop eavesdropping, Cyrille, you're not paid to work here but since you volunteer so much of your time I expect you to do some work during that time, yes?"

He smiles and I know he doesn't mean any of his words as a rebuke. I lean away from where I'd been standing and I admit I had been staring off though he motions me closer before I head away. "The twins left this here for you, they left it up at the desk just in case you could only drop in and head off because of classes and they couldn't see you, they wanted to make sure you would get it."

In his hands is a slight, wrapped package and I can only stare at it as I take it. It's very light. It's not my birthday, I don't think they even know when that is. I don't know why they brought this at all but I'm not about to refuse a gift like this, that'd just be cruel.

I know I'll thank them after I've opened it. I can stay here until the library closes today so I'm not in much of a rush. I hand it back over, promising to take it with me before we all left and I disappear off into the shelves as well. I know there's a cart filled with books that needs to be put away somewhere in there and I'm here to help and help is what I'll do.

  


"You guys didn't have to get me anything." We're just sitting on the steps, appreciating the warm, fresh air. The library is now closed, its opening hours done and Armin has headed off to get the bus so he could go home. I know the twins could have gone with him but lately they've stayed a bit longer with me and we're just sitting on the steps most of the time, relaxing before we each head our own way.

"We wanted to. You said you needed it so we got it for you. Eoghan took us shopping yesterday and when I saw it, I dragged Agni over and we both agreed it would perfect. Well, we hope it'll be." He looks uncertain now, shooting a look to his sibling behind my back. I chuckle softly and I carefully unwrap the slight box. Inside, a slick black casing for my phone with a few colourful lines and along with it, a dust-plug for the headphone jack, at the end of the little chain, a single silver paw. It's absolutely precious.

"This is great. I was thinking of heading off after you guys had gone home to buy myself one, actually. The plug is adorable, thank you." I don't even have to go anywhere, I don't have to reach for one of them first to hug them because they move in from the sides and both hug me at once. I laugh and close my eyes, wrapping my arms about them to hug them back. 

I've had some friends growing up but those friendships never lasted, I don't know why. Some moved away, some grew up preferring things that greatly differed from my own, some began to be interested in drugs or girls or both and I just wasn't. I don't know that this friendship with these guys will last but I do hope it does because it would be wonderful. It's been great so far, it's been wonderful truly and I want that to last.

"You two are just the best, thank you. Now I'm going to have to get you guys something!"

"You don't have to." I laugh harder when they both give the exact same answer at once. Oh yes, spending time with them is something I cherish.

"Well I might not have to but it won't stop me from thinking of ways I can make it up to you guys for buying me this and saving me the detour of having to look through different boutiques until I found something that caught me yes, this one is perfect." So perfect that I did bring out my phone, finally taking the old and worn casing off. I set it aside and put the new one on, it was perfect. The sleekness, the bits of colours. I plugged in the dust protector and snickered at the sight of the little paw dangling from it, it was even better.

"See? You two are perfect at finding these things, I couldn't have found a better one for myself." I couldn't have. There the phone goes back where it belongs and I look at the old casing for a moment. I'll throw it out when I get home though I know there are trashcans all along the way home and even at the bus stops.

I look up to the sky as a soft, slightly cold breeze picks up. "I think I see clouds coming in, we should probably head on home, I'll walk you guys to your stop, mine is covered so it's not an issue if I miss the first pickup but you guys shouldn't have to get wet on my account."

It's a simple enough life I live. I don't think I'd want to change it at this point.


	21. What You're Longing For

"I don't know." His answer confused me somewhat, that's hardly the kind of answer you hear when you ask someone what they'd want if they could have anything at all in the world. He shrugged as he looked between me and his brother.

"You don't know? If the whole world was just a huge basket with everything you could ever want in it, you don't know what you'd pick?" He shrugged again, the motion a simple lift and drop of his shoulders. "Well I suppose it's not such a bad thing, I'm just having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that you don't seem to know what you might long for the most in the world, it doesn't have to be tangible, you don't have to be able to touch it."

I know I'm pushing it a little, this whole thing just confuses me to a point. I suppose it might be a vague sort of question. I know what I long for, I have it for now and I hope it last but I've longed for this kind of friendship for so long. I cherish it for as long as I can since I don't know if they'll stick around in my life for long.

Mira, sitting next to Ophé, just petting away at her, much to her delight, looks between his brother and me, he looks half-lost in thought. "What about you, Mira? Anything at all you long for more than anything else in the world that, if you could, you'd reach for and grab?"

His eyes focus on my face finally and he tilts his head to the side. He seems to study me for a moment before he lifts his shoulders in a shrug, much the way Agni had. "I don't know, really. What I know is that I have a roof over my head, I didn't have that in a steady way growing up. I have three meals a day and I didn't have that steadily growing up either. I have warmth in winter and a cool environment in summer, I have clothes and I have my brother still with me. I have a family though they're not blood related and I have you as a friend. I don't really think I need anything more."

His last words warm me and I feel the blush trying to take over my face. I shake it off lightly and leave the subject be for the time being. I was aware that they'd had a rough childhood but not how bad it might really have been. They'd told me about how they'd had to leave their home back in India for reasons that are still fuzzy to me. I thought maybe they'd had family over here but I guess I was wrong. I feel shallow for a few moments for all the opulence I grew up with but I tell myself that I was born into this life but I don't live it.

Sure, I have this roof over my head and clothes to wear and meals every day but these clothes I bought myself though I admit, the money isn't money I earned. Though I do give a lot of my allowance away to charities so I guess it must count for something. I don't take this whole money thing for granted, that'd just be completely foolish.

I do work a few hours a week, I started not long after I met them. It's not much but all that money goes into an account I opened up for myself, away from my father's eyes, away from my mother's prying. I could live rich if I wanted to but I don't see the use or the point.

"Cy?"

I blink, startled out of my thoughts and I look do Mira who now has Ophé's head nearly cradled in his lap. I chuckle softly at the thought and then look to Agni who had uttered my name. "Yup?"

He grins somewhat but rolls his eyes at me, as if I'd done something silly.

"It's nice and bright outside, I'm not sure why we're inside, how about we bring out the toy plane?"

That thing fascinates him to no end, it amuses me. If he wants to learn to control it, I don't mind, really. It also gives Ophé plenty of exercise and that's also part of the package deal.

"Sounds like a plan and we're inside, for your information, because there was a cloud of rain making sure we were all showered nice and wet when we got off the bus." A very unexpected rain cloud but it did look as though it had gone on its way, the sky was clear and bright, the air was warm.

I located the plane while the twins wandered out back, Ophé on their heels. I'm glad they like her and she likes them. She's been pretty picky over the last few months about who she was letting in the house and who she wasn't. Most of Élodie's boyfriends can't make it past the gate, I suppose it's why I only ever see her every other night or so. I don't mind. Our relationship isn't all that. She's promiscuous, I lost count of how many guys she tried to bring inside before Ophé decided that she'd had enough of these intruders. Élodie might be my sister but there is no closeness between us and no lost love. I feel no ache in not being able to spend time with her.

  


"Try to keep it up right, because if you run it into the trees, it's more than likely going to fall to pieces and they're pretty difficult to glue back together." I chuckle softly as I try to get him to learn better control of the flying toy. Ophé is chasing away at it, pleased as can be. He's managing well enough, swerved just barely to avoid some trees a couple of times already and to be honest I'm more worried about Ophé ramming into the trees than the plane. She's even less likely to be glued back together, after all.

He nods and offers a sheepish sort of smile. "Sorry Cy, doing my best but the wind keeps on gusting up."

"Well the wind is part of life and we can't really control it. At least, us mere, poor humans can't control it, I suppose some God out there could probably control it but I don't know how that'd go." I shrug but grin at him. The yard is clear, really. There are trees but they're mostly out of the way, now if they'd been here and there instead of along the sides and far out at the back, I might have been reluctant to let him control the plane, for Ophé's safety but he's doing pretty well at this point so I can't complain.

I look down to Mira a moment as he's sitting on the stairs leading down into the garden. I know I can trust Agni with the plane so I settle down next to Mira for a little bit.

"We must be boring you to no end, huh?" 

He blinks and looks up at me before he shakes his head, the ghost of a smile to his lips as he looks out to the yard. "Not bored, just a little tired, had a long night, I couldn't really sleep, kept on having nightmares."

"Oh, I'm sorry Mira."

"Why?"

I blink at his question and for a moment I have to ask myself the same. Why am I sorry? It's old habits, everyone always seems to say they're sorry when someone's having a bad day or had nightmares. I shrug somewhat. "It's just what people say, I mean I imagine it's not my fault you're having nightmares so I shouldn't apologize but it's just one of those things people do, I guess."

"Well people are strange." There it is, at least he's smiling now. I gently bump my shoulder to his and he returns the motion with a soft chuckle.

"In a short while, I'll finally take you guys on a tour of this huge place, sounds like a plan? We'll take it slow so you can keep up."

"That sounds neat, how do you not get lost in here?"

"I used to when I was a kid, not so much now."


	22. A Harp

"Magali, can we come in?" He knocks on the door lightly, listening to whatever is inside. We haven't really met his older sister yet, we've seen her when we were here last but there hadn't been any introduction, I don't honestly mind. Strangers still are strangers until you meet them and I meet plenty of folks at the library though I wouldn't consider them anything else than strangers if I were to meet them on the street.

It's quiet on the other side of the door he's knocked on, for a few minutes really before there's some shuffling and the door clicks open to reveal the slightly worn face of Cyrille's older sister. He blinks at the sight of her and frowns. "Oh crap, Maggy, I didn't know you were sleeping, I'm sorry."

"Not sleeping, I was staring off for a while, to be honest. I've been trying to read and I just can't bring my mind to focus. Touring the house with your new friends?" He blushes and I have to hide a grin behind my hand. He doesn't blush easily but I think it's a fine colour on him. He looks sheepish and I can't help but be amused by the sight of it too.

"Still, I didn't mean to bother you but yes, I was touring the house and I figured that I'd show them your music room since you spend more time here than anywhere else in the house, is that all right?" He's usually so certain of himself, he usually lets no one really walks on his toes but I'm imagining that the respect he has for his sister is all there for how he acts right now.

"Sure, you can come in. Maybe music might just be able to sooth away whatever keeps me from focusing. I bet you boys will find that absolutely boring but it might just be worth a try, come in."

  


Mira is all over the place. His fascination for all things nature and classical is all there as he flutters from one instrument to the next, not daring to reach out and touch though it's clear he wants to. I let him, Magali seems to be amused by his behavior but I prefer sticking to Cyrille's side for the time being.

"So we have the piano and the harp, my two favorites. There's the cello in the other corner along with the viola. I never could learn to play wind instruments but I guess it's not much of a loss for how well and easily I learn the rest." She offers the words quietly, watching Mira with amusement. I think the expression others might have used to describe him right now is a kid in a candy store.

"Do you want to give it a try?" She motions to the harp a moment and Mira's eyes go wide, as if she'd just told him he could take the forbidden fruit. He shakes his head sharply and Cyrille motions to the few chairs along the wall, I settle and he sits next to me. "How about I play a little then, would you like that?"

Mira's face lights up and he nods, his eyes wide as he backs away a little to give room and he settles on the floor, right there. I laugh softly, I can't help myself and he doesn't even look at me to chastise me for it. I guess he really is absolutely enthralled, it's a new look for him but I think it's fitting. Maybe if he wants it really bad, I could use some of my saved up money to buy him a harp for our birthday or maybe for Christmas. I think he'd like that, maybe. We'll have to see, I'll take to Eoghan about it, he'd know best.

Magali settles on her little stool then and when her fingers find the string I can willingly admit that most every little thought my mind might have known flees at the first few notes. The sound is so beautiful, it's breathtaking, the instrument itself is a sight to behold but the sound, oh the sound is beautiful and I close my eyes to better appreciate the beauty.

I don't know how long she plays or what songs she really plays but it is the settling quiet that makes me open my eyes. She looks a little less worn now, maybe the harp has helped. Mira still looks as if this is the most perfect day of his life. 

"That was absolutely beautiful as always, Maggy, thank you so much."

"You're welcome." She smiles warmly, as if a mother to her child though there can't be more than four or five years between them, I'm sure.

Mira eases to his feet, murmurs a thank you and she touches the top of his head with a chuckle before he's coming back our way. He still looks awed and it's an adorable look on his face.

Cyrille leads us out of the music room, closing the door as gently as he can behind his sister. "She's currently undergoing chemotherapy so not all of her days are good and good days are honestly pretty rare lately but she's doing her best to be so strong. Music seems to sooth her."

"She plays beautifully." Mira's words low but honest as we walk away from that one particular door. I don't ask to know what chemotherapy is. It sounds bad but if it's for her good then that's all I need to know, I might ask Eoghan when we get home tonight.

So far, this whole place really is a maze for us and I'm glad Cyrille is with us because I'm sure we'd be completely lost without him. We've seen bedrooms and almost a ballroom and a breakfast nook and a meal room and just so many rooms I don't know what they do with it all. Our apartment is large but simple, just the rooms we need and that's mostly that.

"I think all that's really left to visit is the garden, there's the attic but we're never in that place and I'm pretty sure it's as dusty as it could be so I'll spare you guys the visit. Still good to go, Mira?"

My brother nods and I have to stop a moment to look at him, I have no idea why he'd ask that kind of question. I mean, we're both here and we're both fine and healthy so why would Mira not be good to go? Though I guess he did look a little tired this morning when we got up to come here. I hadn't really thought about that. Maybe he's had some nightmares and he didn't tell me. It could make sense. It's not like I force him to tell me about how he's doing and what's going on in his life.

"All right, let's head back down and check in on the gardens then. After that I think we'll head out. To be honest with you guys, I don't much like to spend time here but with the parents in and out and Maggy often alone, I spend more time here so I can look after her to a point." I think it's kind that he wants to look after his sister.

We head down two sets of stairs and we stop at the large glass doors we'd taken earlier to head out to the yard. Ophé is still out there, just settled under the shade of one of the trees. The weather is nice currently so I guess it's not much of an issue if she stays outside, I'm sure Cy would have brought her back inside if he'd thought it a better idea, after all. It makes sense.

He opens the doors and we step outside, closing the doors once we're all out in the warmth of the season. I breathe in deeply, filling my lungs with the surrounding air. It smells different here than it does at home but I suppose that's because we're alone where we're at. He has more neighbours than we do, even if they're a little far away.

"Garden's this way." Mira has already moved ahead and I follow along so as to not be left behind.


	23. Too Much Water

"So this is the garden." His words seem to be a mix between amusement and despair. We step inside the garden area, partitioned off by a small, waist-high fence and gate system, and I look around a moment, slowly as if to make sure my eyes are not deceiving me. Everything is dropping, dying from being watered too much. It's a shame because I'm sure it would be beautiful if this place wasn't drowned in water. The thought brings a wry smile to me lips, since water is my thing and I can tell when there's just too much of the stuff.

"Mom is terrible with the plants but the gardener quit about a month ago. She just waters and waters again, I wish it could be prettier, usually it's gorgeous and you just want to sit back there and enjoy it but now, well it's in this state." He motions towards a metal bench at the far end of the little garden area, a rustic sort of arch above it with dying plants hanging from it.

Agni looks at me a moment and I know what question he's asking without really opening his mouth to ask it since we're not supposed to discuss our gifts with Cyrille yet, if ever. I look the garden over a moment and I can only nod. I walk away from the pair, just letting my fingers brush over pots, trying to carefully pull the extra water out of it so it might have a chance.

"Mira is great with plants, I bet we could come about at least once a week to check in on the plants to see how they're doing." Agni grins while Cyrille seems to consider this offer. We already see one another every weekend as it is, or at least we've done so since we've met so far.

He tilts his head to the side somewhat. "Well I don't want to take your weekends away from you and it's a fair distance off, maybe we could work out a night a week where you could maybe come and sleep over. You look in on the plants then and we all head in to work the following morning. I think Wednesdays would be good. I work not far from the library and I know you guys have to be there at a certain hour, it could be worked out."

I look back to Agni a moment, considering the offer. It could work out, I know. We'd have to ask Eoghan though, just to be sure. In the long run, we're still underage and he's still our legal guardian so he does have to know where we're at and we wouldn't want him to worry about it. "We'll talk it over with Eoghan though I'm sure he'd agree to the idea, so long as it didn't get in the way of the work we do. It could be neat, really."

I move toward the bench and archway, crouching down next to the ground where the vines, or at least I think they're vines, are planted. These, unlike the potted plants, are dry, it's as if Cyrille's mother watered on the way and then got tired of the whole thing and didn't finish her rounds. Or maybe she thought that since it was in the ground and not potted, that it could be just fine without any care. Obviously that's not the case. I rest my hand against the ground, giving to the vine some of the water it hasn't had since the gardener has left.

"This place could be beautiful with the right care, I think I could manage it. Of course, it's nothing like Yael's garden but that's something else altogether."

"We should totally show him Yael's garden when he visits next."

"Well, we'll have to ask Yael first if he'd let us. You don't have an issue with cats, do you?" I look up to Cyrille as I come back closer to them and he blinks before shaking his head.

"We have Ophé because she's big and she's easy to keep track of, I honestly wanted cats while I was growing up but we've always had dogs." He shrugs and chuckles. I nod, that mostly settles that. Of course we'll ask Yael when we get home if we can visit the garden but I don't think he'll mind.

"I've been over though and I haven't seen a garden anywhere in the yard, yours or the neighbours though."

It's Agni's turn to laugh, the grin bright on his face. "That's because his garden is indoor, I don't know if you've noticed that the top two floors of their building is all glass."

"I have noticed that, I wondered about it a bit."

"It's huge and it has so many things, like fruit trees and rose bushes and vegetables. If Yael agrees to it, we'll visit up there. They have seven cats though they're not allowed in the garden itself but I figure it's best you know about that now so you're not surprised. Two of them are Bengals, they're big and they're balls of energy."

I look at the vine a bit, a slight smile finding my lips as I notice that it seems to appreciate the water I've given it. It's minute, the change, the details but I can tell already, maybe because I feel sort of attuned to the plants. Maybe we could convince Yael to come here just once, he's the one with the magic touch when it comes to plants, he could do miracles.

Standing, I stretch and yawn, rubbing my eyes lightly. It's not that it's late in the day but my lack of proper sleep last night is catching up to me. Maybe I could snag a bit of rest here before we get much of anything else done, I'm sure Agni wouldn't mind and I doubt Cyrille would mind either but this isn't home so I don't know how well I'd sleep.

I shake it off as I walk back to them and we step back out of the garden. It really is a shame that something that could be so beautiful is dying at this point. I get that the gardener's gone and all though I don't see the point to hiring someone to take care of something that could be seen to by the folks living in the house itself but that's just part of how I grew up, I guess.

If I can't take care of it, why have it at all, really?

  


"You think Yael would agree to letting us show him the garden?" Agni's voice is thoughtful as we walk the short distance from the bus stop back to our home. I shrug lightly, looking up to the slowly darkening sky. We could have slept over, I'm sure but we thought it best to come back home for the night since we hadn't told anyone that we might be staying over since it was an idea that had just cropped up. We didn't have anything to wear either so it helped in the decision to come back.

"Pretty sure he wouldn't mind. I was more thinking along the lines that we could see about maybe trying to get him to come to the garden and see what he could do or at least tell me so I know what else I might need to do, else than make sure they're not drowned. These poor plants, it was a sad sight."

"Bet that in a week or two more, it'll all be fine."

"Yeah, but before too long, summer will be over and autumn will be in and it won't have done a whole lot of good."

"Think about it this way, next year you can make sure everything flowers beautifully all over again." It's warming to think that he believes we'll still all be friends by then. I'd really love for that to happen though I'm not holding my breath. Still, we never know.


	24. a dreadful __________

It seemed easiest to ask Armin. He was different, he was human at least in some ways, he was more than likely a little more prone to human sicknesses than any of us. I could have asked Eoghan or Alexis, they've both been alive so long that they must have known too but I thought Armin might have the more human answer to the question.

Cyrille had talked about chemotherapy and I didn't know what it was. He hadn't seemed to want to go in details about it and it seemed honestly bad in its own way but I didn't ask. I could have looked online but there are so many different things out there that I don't always know which one I'm supposed to believe. Armin really was my best option.

It was quiet in the library, a calm Monday morning. Usually Mondays did have a tendency for being a little rushed when people seemed to realize that they'd forgotten to get something or other during the week. I know a lot of libraries are opened during the weekends, at least that's what I read online and I know this isn't the case for ours so I guess it makes sense that we have small rush hours.

Today was different and it was quiet, might have been because summer wasn't over quiet yet but school was freshly back in session. There had been more people over the summer.

"Armin?" He looks up from the book he's been reading, it's so quiet in here and most books have already been put away that reading doesn't seem like such a bad idea. I know Agni is somewhere out there, probably just somewhat lazing in the patches of sun and Cyrille said he had to work this morning.

"Something I can help you with, Mira?" He bookmarks his page and closes the book gently, setting it down. I sit not far from him, on the counter since I know it can hold my weight. I don't much like the chairs behind the counter, they're uncomfortable.

"We visited Cyrille's home this weekend and his sister Magali played music for us but she looked tired and he said something about chemotherapy and what's chemotherapy?" Not my brightest formulation but I suppose it would have to do. The desire to ask more about what it was supposed to be has haunted me until now, I could be forgiven.

He frowned and pushed the book he'd been reading away, turned his chair a bit more so he could face me. His voice was low but calm, he chose his words carefully and I assume he is because other words might just not have made any sense to me since medical terms in French are just one of those things I don't know a thing about just yet.

When he explained that chemotherapy was usually a treatment for cancer, something in me sort of froze. That wasn't right, though I wasn't sure why I'd reacted this way. It was when he told me what cancer could be and what it did to the human body that I think my mind connected with the coldness of my body and I know something must have broken.

We hadn't talked much to Magali or spent a whole lot of time with her but I could tell how much she meant to Cyrille and how dearly he loved her. That she might be taken away by this cancer only made it all the clearer that humans were fragile, that they weren't made to last and it made me want to start clinging to Armin. He was human, though Eoghan said that it was likely now his gift had been handed down by his biological father. So maybe he would live longer than most humans but no where near as long as any of us. I don't want to lose him.

  


Cyrille stepped into the library just an hour or so before we prepared to close it up for the evening. He was bright eyed, his smile was contagious though I tried to fight it, I didn't want to fight. I was still thinking about how dreadful it would be if the chemotherapy didn't know what it was supposed to. Who would he turn to if his sister was no longer with him to support him, with him so they could spend time together?

Eventually I did manage to let it be buried under other memories. It wasn't buried deep but it was mostly out of my mind so I could appreciate spending time with him and Agni while we had that much. With the memory buried somewhat, I could also stop thinking that maybe befriending someone whose body would rot before too long was a terrible idea. I didn't want to think that, I wanted to spend time with him. He was my friend, our friend and that was what was important. We had to be there for him if bad things ever were to happen in his family.

As we stepped outside and Armin locked the front door, Cyrille stopped the both of us at the bottom of the steps and he pulled out two packages from the bag he carried. We each were handed one and I know I usually would have torn it open to know what was inside but I was baffled more than anything else. I'd never really received any gift before and this was new. Agni looked at the package a moment himself before he was looking up, absolutely puzzled, to our friend who only laughed. "Go on, open them. I know it's early in the season but when I saw them I thought they were perfect for the two of you."

So Agni opened his first while I was still puzzling out this warm sensation I felt in my stomach at the idea of receiving a gift. Out of it, he pulled a long black scarf with a few stripes all on one side, in various shades of red. It was fitting for him, really. With the scarf came some matching gloves, early but sweet. It was when he turned his gaze to me, curious and wanting to see my own reaction that I finally opened my own gift. Much like Agni's own, a black scarf and gloves though the stripes on mine were blue.

"Thank you, Cyrille. I think this is the first time we've ever really been given gifts like this before. They're beautiful." Of course they were beautiful, I'd wear them for as long as I could once the weather was cold enough to require them and I know it would be. I'd lived through the last winter and other winters before that, after all.

These would keep us more than warm and the idea warmed me a little more.

"I'm glad you guys like it. I swear, I saw them in the display and I had to buy them. It made me last for work but I don't care, it was worth it."

Of course I had to roll my eyes at him though I didn't say anything about his being late for work. He's an adult, like we'll be eventually and we have to keep track of our own lives and make sure we keep our jobs, it wouldn't do to have no jobs, money can't be saved without a job and gifts cannot be offered without saved money. I honestly wish there was no money in the world but I can't imagine things would work out so well with people just being honest and working out exchange of goods. I suppose I'm a bit of a dreamer as far as that's concerned.

"Gotta head home, Magali is expecting me for supper. I'll see you two tomorrow, all right? Don't forget to pack up clothes for Wednesday!" With that he was wandering off, jogging away towards his bus stop. Wednesday couldn't come quickly enough. Eoghan had accepted the idea of our sleep over and I was looking forward to that more than I realized, I think.


	25. The Confrontation

The day had gone by in a blur, unlike yesterday where it had been so quiet that I had spent the better part of my day almost lounging along one of the windows, just following the patches of sun, today was a rush, there were people coming around left and right, most of them not looking much older than Cyrille.

Armin said something about how the next few days would be a rush of the sort as students who were missing particular books to their studies, mostly the collegial or university kind, were coming in to try to see if there weren't some copies that could be taken out on long-term. He did that, rent long-term though they had to deposit a fee and once the book came back in good condition at the end of the term or the year or whatever, the deposit was paid back. That whole thing confused me a bit but I figure that's just the way life happens.

Cyrille dropped by with lunch but we couldn't all eat together. The place was still so jam-packed that I ate with him during the first half-hour and Mira used the second half-hour of the break to eat with Armin, we said that if it still was this way tomorrow we'd just switch and he'd get to eat with Cyrille, I don't mind.

After lunch, he stayed and helped, it made things just a little bit easier and the afternoon isn't quite as much a blur as this morning was though not by much.

When the rush finally died down and Armin was able to close the doors for the night, to the dismay of a couple of people who had come in just barely five minutes before the usual closing time—Armin noted down the books they needed and said he'd set them aside for tomorrow to be picked up—we all stepped outside to breathe a quiet sigh of relief. I can freely admit that this was one of the hardest days of work I'd had to handle to that day. It had been worth it though, I felt worn but not in a bad way, as if I'd done my part for today.

We were about to cross the street to head to the bus stops when Armin was bumped into and you could almost imagine a bomb had gone off for what happened over the next little while.

Armin stumbled, of course but with Mira at his side, there was no real harm done, I turned to face the bumper and I'd been moments from giving them a piece of my mind when the words died in my throat. There was Zora, standing tall, her nose slightly upturned as if the sight of us wasn't good enough for her.

"I see you boys still work in this place. That's a shame, if you'd moved in with us, you'd have much better jobs and you wouldn't be around this monster." I don't think it so much was her comments about the job as it was the comments about Armin that set me off. He was good to us, he took care of us and taught us new things, they all did. I almost lashed out at her but Cyrille's arm across my chest kept me from going anywhere.

"Look at you two, hanging around this half-man and this-" her eyes swept over Cyrille and now even his arm couldn't really keep me back, "this whatever he is, it's pathetic, I didn't raise you to be like this."

"You didn't raise us!" I was in her face, just barely an inch away, neck craned to be able to look up at her and I was silently cursing the damned inches she had on me. "You dragged us around, from one place to another, begging for money, trying to find us food, not even teaching us this one language as if you could keep us to yourself well that's bullshit. We'd probably have been better off if you'd dropped us off at some orphanage!"

That one might have been pushing too far but I was tired of the bullshit that came from her. It was unlike her, she hadn't been this way before. She still was calm as she looked down at me, she even smiled and it was a pleased, winning sort of smile. "I don't miss you boys a whole lot. Niall takes care of me just fine and I don't need you two punks in my life to hold me back anymore."

I felt Cyrille shudder slightly besides me and I had to assume it was the name, I can't imagine there are a lot of folks with that name in this particular city and I felt bile try to rise in my throat. It was Mira who finally stepped forward, he pulled me back though I suppose Cyrille might have helped him. When I was a few paces away, he stepped up to her, his voice was low and calm, peaceful almost and I think I envied him the ability to keep his cool. I felt like I was going to be ill or that I was going to start crying, I couldn't decide.

"I don't think you're wicked, Zora, but I think you're too easily swayed by the person you believe to be in love with. Personally I think you're in love with the idea of being in love. If Niall is who we think he is and I'm pretty sure he is, he came to threaten us, he was the one who took us into the station that one time with the incident and if he knew you were related to us, he might not let you stay around much, I'm sure." He shook his head, a sad look on his face as he turned away.

"We have better things to do than stay here and be spoken to this way. If you ever decide that you've had enough of your current love life, the apartment is still open though I can't guarantee settling back into a kind of peaceful lifestyle will be easy. " I really do envy his ability to stay calm. He moved past me, gently touching my arm as he went and he settled at Armin's side once more. We walked to the street corner and crossed.

I don't know how I managed to keep myself from crying until we were home. I don't know how I felt either, betrayed, hurt, confused, the emotions were swarming when we finally stepped into the apartment and I broke down. I cried and I did so hard. At times I understand that I'm not really the one who's all that strong. I put up a strong front for Mira and I protect him best I can but in situations like these, he's better at controlling his emotions than I am.

He hugged me, it's all I needed. He hugged me and held me until I calmed down and until the need to cry had passed. Her words hurt. It's one thing to act as if they meant nothing but when you stopped being all hyped up and stopped being angry, it all comes crashing down and it hurts so bad.

Armin was hesitant to let us go upstairs to our apartment but eventually Mira managed to persuade him to let us go. That he was all right and he'd take care of me. I suppose he was only half convinced because after a while, there was a gentle sort of knock on the door, it was while I was soaking in the tub, trying to calm myself down but I heard talking and eventually, Mira came join me in the bathroom, just sitting down next to the tub. He said Eoghan had dropped by to make sure we were okay. We might not have our older sister with us anymore but we have a bigger family now than we've had for years, I want to believe we'll be okay.


	26. Rocks

"How is that even possible?" I don't know if I should be amused or not to not be the one asking all the questions for once. Of course I could be asking the same question he is but what's the point when we're watching a documentary and there's no one to really answer those questions?

"Those rocks are even bigger." I snicker as I point them out to him, actually reaching for the remote to pause the documentary where it was. I've seen that kind of thing before, in souvenir boutiques but never in real life and never quite of this size. Rock balancing seems to be something of an art.

"That can't be real, you have got to be joking." I'm definitely amused. I suppose we could head out there to gather some rocks to try to balance them but I don't know how well we'd manage and I suppose it doesn't really matter that much. It's beautiful to look at but it seems as though it might just take some time to get it right and not get our toes broken in the process. I press the pause button to get the documentary going again so we can at least watch it to the end. 

I'm sure I can find a few pebbles and set something small up, it'd be a start and it might get him to see and understand that none of this is staged, that the rocks aren't glue together or held together by wire or anything else. At times he has a hard time believing in what he sees but I suppose I shouldn't blame him for it, we all have our little quirks and he's perfect the way he is.

By the time we're done with the documentary, he still doesn't really believe it is possible at all to have that kind of setup with the rocks, balancing them right and proper so they don't tip and fall over. I'm not going to argue with him about that that's more or less the end of that. "Oh, I knew I'd forgotten to tell you something."

He blinks up at me from his spot on the couch, one cat on his lap, one near his shoulders. I don't even know why it came back up to mind just now, I wasn't even thinking about that. I suppose I was thinking rock and rock gardens and decorations and just gardens in general, that's one of the thing I spend most of my time thinking about when I'm not focused on other things, in the other. "The twins asked if they could bring a friend to see the garden eventually and I told them they could come any time they wanted. They also asked if I could go with them just once over the weekend to see their friend's garden and have a look to know if I could fix it up in some way because it seems as though his mother watered it too much and it's more or less dying. I told them I'd give it a thought."

He tilts his head somewhat to the side but nods. It is my garden after all but it is his house and I know how he feels about strangers. Not that he hasn't met Cyrille already, we all spent some time together at the beach almost a month ago. Time flies so quickly lately, it's like we're not seeing it tick on by.

"Want to go find a few rocks out in the yard and see if we can't build us up something surprisingly amazing?" I grin at him and he rolls his eyes at me. He's grinning right back though and with an easy, almost practised motion he's up on his feet and the cat that had been on his lap is settled cozily in his now emptied but warm spot. I really need to learn to do that. Whenever I get up the cats scatter off, Quentin has that sort of lift the cat with and drop smoothly sort of motion for his getting up and cat-free without any scampering.

"After that, we can have ourselves a bit of a swim and then just some lounging up with the flowers." That sounds like a wonderful plan, really. I head off, towards the back though I know we're closer to the front, we could head out that way and round to the back but it seems simpler to cut across the house and step outside from the back.

In the catio, three of the cats are lounging on their padded bed areas and I still have to smile at the sight. It's nice to know we can figure out things for them that make them happy. I know how much Areli and Lavi wanted to discover the outside and now they've managed to convince the other kittens of joining them in spending time out in the warmth of the early September days. Soon enough the temperature will begin to cool down, the leaves will fall, the snow will come again and I don't know how much time the cats will spend outside when that'll happen so now is best.

We walk around the yard, each finding slight rocks and bringing them back to a small pile that eventually grows to include about a dozen or so rocks of mismatched size. Now I know this is going to be the most difficult part and it's what I'm looking forward the most, I don't know why. We split the pile in two, each settling down to try to make something of them. Balancing them is something of a challenge but it's fun because every time we manage to get two or three going but the next one makes them all tumble, we just laugh and start over again.

After a while, Quentin stops, deciding he's had more than enough and telling himself that he was right, that it wasn't possible to actually possible to balance rocks without some sort of outside help. I'm not quite of the same mindset and I keep going for a little while longer. Peace and patience seem to lead to a pretty stable structure with five rocks balancing smoothly, not showing any sign of wanting to tumble.

He looks surprised but wiling to accept that it is possible to a point though he mostly states that this is just a lucky setup and that come tomorrow morning it will more than likely no longer be standing. I'm not going to bet on him being right or wrong, it won't change much but I do believe that it still will be standing in the morning, I want to believe it.

We move the unused rocks off to the side so we won't trip on them next we step outside and we head back inside. We had decided on a swim after the rock balancing act after all and this is what we were going to do. Swimming in the pool was a wonderful sort of thing, it helped us relax and made sure we pretty much forgot the world even existed for a little while, at least while we were alone and we knew we weren't expecting visitors.

Though we'd somewhat lost the habit of swimming bare since we'd have visitors before who had come in without knocking—not that they did anymore—we figured it was easier to at least be wearing something to cover ourselves with and be surprised that way over being seen completely naked, something we tried to keep for one another's eyes only. It seemed only right. At least, until one of us in our growing family decides that maybe we should visit a nude beach somewhere before the summer is completely over though I don't expect it for any time this year if ever but who knows with those who surround us, really.


	27. On a Sailing Ship

All around are wide-eyes and surprised faces. I've been on the yacht just a few times this summer, my life has changed somewhat drastically after I decided to move back in permanently with Eoghan. I think this was the best decision of my life. I've just spent less time doing those things I had grown into the habit of doing more often because I'm busier with him, I'm busier with our growing family.

I had offered to bring them all here at one point to let them see what it was like though I guess it slipped all of our minds up until now. The weather is still nice and warm on this early September day and we all had little else to do, or in the case of the twins and their new-found friend, it was a good excuse to do something new.

We all piled into the new vehicle and I have to admit that Eoghan has done a great job in picking it out. It is absolutely spacious and more comfortable than I had expected cars with room for eight to be at this point. I'd thought we'd still have to use our old van. It still is in the garage, we don't want to get rid of it quite yet since we both figure we might have needs for it still.

We piled out at the dock and I led our little group down to where the yacht was settled and waiting right there, as if it had been expecting us. I miss spending some days out on the water but I know that with all that is going on, that's just currently not a possibility. I'm thinking of making sure we can be on board during the holidays though, at least maybe for new year, we could even invite anyone else they see fit to not leaving alone on such a day. Water here doesn't really freeze over the winter so it's a possibility.

  


With Eoghan back there to 'take care' of everyone, mostly to make sure they were all as comfortable as possible, I take us out to the quiet waters. We'll only be spending a few hours out here but I'm hoping they will be enjoyed by everyone. I would have made this an overnight trip if it weren't for the fact that I know that Quentin and Yael haven't prepared for it to be an overnight trip and they need to be home for the cats to at least feed them at some point later tonight so they don't go hungry. I also have Adela to look over as it nears her feeding day as it is.

I find us a quiet, out of the way spot and lower the anchor so we won't drift off, that wouldn't be a good idea though I know I'd be able to get us back home without an issue even if that were to happen.

"I think Armin might suffer from seasickness." Eoghan pops up behind me as I'm preparing to step out from the seat and I blink at him, a sheepish sort of shrug offered. It's a first trip for everyone, there's no knowing who might not have sea legs or not at this point. "So I walked him down to one of the beds to settle down for a little bit and see if it's really seasickness of if he's just nervous at the idea of being on the water."

I nod and smile at him before we both head back out to the rest of our guests. Mira is wide-eyed, just staring at the water, at the sky, at everything that surrounds them. Agni's gaze on the water seems to be a little less certain though there's curiosity in him. It's comforting to know we might be able to convince them of coming back and again for little trips out. Cyrille seems to be more interested in the yacht itself and I guess that I shouldn't really be surprised.

It's not that I'm saying that because he grew up in a family where money was not an issue, that he automatically knows about yachts and expensive cars and everything else but at times it helps. He's just walking along the sides of the main cabin, letting his hands brush along the material quietly. I leave Eoghan to the rest of the crew and wander off to see if perhaps I can't have a sort of discussion with our newest addition.

I'm aware that he's just a friend to the twins but I suppose I am a papa bear much the way Eoghan seems to claim I am and I am curious as to their well-being.

"You seem to have better footing than most everyone else today." He startles somewhat, looking up to him and I smile down at him gently, trying to let him know I'm not here to pry, just making conversation. He looks out towards the water a moment and shrugs. Then he looks back towards the rest of our little group and away again. 

There's something on his mind, if Eoghan was with him, we might know but it's just me and this kid right now so I can't really do much of anything about it, else than be up front and ask. "There's something bothering you, it seems. I'm all ears if you have no issues with opening up to some guy you really don't know much of anything at all about."

My words come out with a gentle chuckle, as if to let him know that he doesn't have to if he doesn't feel like it and that I'm not going to twist his arm to get him to open up. He looks out to the others again and he shrugs before looking back out to the water.

"I don't know, the more time I spend with you guys, the more I feel like there's some sort of déjà vu. It mostly happens around Eoghan, it's like my brain is trying to tell me that I've known him before but I can't place him and in my mind's eye he hasn't even changed and that's just not possible so I'm trying to wrap my mind around it all to understand."

Okay, so this kid might just have a better memory than we gave him credit for. Eoghan did say he'd spent time with his parents nearly fifteen years ago, the kid couldn't have been more than three so it's surprising that he might have any memories of that time, still. I might have to bring it up to Eoghan but I doubt we'll have to do anything about it. 

"Could have been someone who looked a lot like him, the genes are pretty strong in his family and all the men have really similar traits." That's how usual cock and bull story though most people tend to believe it. It explains why some people might think they've seen us a decade or two ago and can't believe how we've somehow not aged at all, which if course is impossible by human terms.

He shakes his head and looks out to the sea a moment before he excuses himself and heads back towards the little group. I follow him, keeping a few paces away. I know he'll be spending most of the time out on the water with the twins and I'm fine with that, they're friends and that's what friends do. Quentin and Yael had wandered off to the upper deck to settle and I now Eoghan won't want to leave Armin alone, I'm good with that, I like learning more about him, he's one of us, in a way and it will hurt when he finally goes, be it in this lifetime or in another one if his mixed-blood somehow offers him a slightly longer lifespan. I'm not holding my breath on that account but it can't hurt to hope a little.


	28. pure __________

I don't recall seeing him this bright eyed before. There's always been a shadow in his gaze. It was there this morning too when we briefly met up at the library before he headed off to his own job. When he popped in this afternoon with smoothies though, his eyes were so clear and bright that I thought for sure there was something different in his life, something new.

Turns out I wasn't all that wrong but when he first told us I couldn't understand a single word he was saying. Mira seemed to understand more of what he was saying than I was so I ended up asking him about it after we'd gone back home, of course.

  


"So what's remission?" That was the first word I didn't really know the meaning of and as he chopped up vegetables and I prepared the broth for our soup, he told me. He explained that it was something close to a temporary diminution of the severity of a disease or pain. I guess that made sense. I still didn't know what Cyrille had meant when he said his sister's cancer was in full remission though.

"You remember when he told us that Magali was undergoing chemotherapy?" Of course I remember, it seemed like something that was supposed to help her but she looked tired and Cyrille didn't seem like he really wanted to talk about it so I'd honestly just put it to the back of my mind and I'd more or less forgotten all about it. 

I nod to answer his question but then realize he has his back to me so I make a little 'yes' noise so he'd go on while I add the first batch of veggies into the soup.

"Well, chemotherapy is used to treat cancers. Cancers are sicknesses that can kill you and a lot of them can't be treated. That's the easiest way I can explain it." He drops the rest of the veggies in a bowl next to me and starts to work on tearing the chicken into smaller pieces so we can add it at the end of the soup preparation. "So when he said she was in complete remission, it means that she's not going to be in pain any more and there's no sign of the cancer in her though it doesn't mean it's completely gone. The real short version is that she's healthier and pain free now and that was just a really happy and joyful moment for him."

When I think about it, as it is explained this way, it makes sense. It really does. If Mira had cancer, though I don't even know if that's possible, I would want him to be in remission as fast as possible so he wouldn't be suffering, I can understand why Cyrille looked so happy and so pleased with life in general. It also explains why he didn't really stick around long, just long enough to tell us about Magali before he was on his way.

  


I love simple meals like these, just a light broth, a lot of vegetables, some meat, some noodles and voila. A warm, nourishing meal that came together pretty easily and can just as easily be warmed back up again and that's the point of it all. I can't say it fills me with joy the way Magali's pain-free days do with Cyrille but I'm pretty happy with that kind of thing.

We both send him a text message after we've eaten to ask him to give his sister our best. We've only met her briefly but she seems really important to Cyrille so I don't see why we wouldn't be nice to her. That just seems to make sense really. He doesn't message back and that's just fine too, I'm sure he's no where near his phone and he'll get these messages before he goes to bed or after he'll be getting up tomorrow morning. The world isn't about to end because he doesn't answer.

The dishes are washed and cleaned, put away and we settle into the living room for a few hours before we head to bed. It still is too bright outside to even consider going to bed at this point and I don't think we'd get any sleep just yet.

"How did you learn about all this cancer stuff?" Well, I have to ask him, I'd put that thought behind me when it had been brought up since he didn't really seem to want to discuss it, after all.

"I went and talked to Armin after we got home that day. I was really curious and I wanted to know more. I didn't understand what Cyrille had talked about and I told myself that Armin was best placed to know about human illnesses. I could have asked Eoghan but I don't think I really would have gotten the same kind of answers."

It makes sense, in a way. If course it's saddening to think that Armin knows about these human illnesses because he's at least half human and it brings back to the surface the thought that he might just be dying long before either one of us. This isn't really something I like thinking about, it hurts to know that he's not really like us. That he's only a little like us and that he'll be gone before we wish he were.

I grump softly at the thought and I shake my head. Mira seems to take the hint as he chuckles softly and bumps his shoulder into mine. "We could watch a movie."

Watching a movie might not hurt. Our collection is small and we don't have direct access to Eoghan's collection upstairs but we have a few DVDs of our own. Mira leaves me to decide on what we watch and he heads off into his room for a few moments. When he comes back, it's with a bag of popcorn and I have to wonder why he keeps it in his room though I don't ask. I admit at times I might snack a bit on whatever I find in the cupboards and I've eaten my way through stuff he was keeping for later, so I guess it makes sense.

He sticks his tongue out at me as he notices me watching him wander back into the living room with his bag of popcorn and I shrug sheepishly. It's not the end of the world, we're both still learning to adapt to this life we have here with this roof and these clothes and this job we have.

It's a bag of already popped stuff, it's half his size and I can't recall when he might have actually bought it, I would have noticed something this big coming home with him. Maybe he asked Eoghan for it, that could be it. It doesn't really matter much. He takes a turn into the kitchen and I figure he'll put some of the stuff into two bowls before bringing it back into his room. I know he has it now but we have a rule, if it's in our bedrooms, we leave it alone, that being, if someone's in his room, I don't touch it, if it's in mine, he leaves it be.

Finally I decide on a random movie, not even looking at the box as I put it into the player and as I'm settling back down to get it started, he puts down the two bowls on the low table. He settles next to me and stretches. 

Today has honestly been a good day. A great day for Cyrille but a good day for us, the worst of the school rush has died down again so we're not running around like crazy to get the books these folks needed anymore and that's for the best. Mira tripped several times on the way to get books and then back because people were almost shoving and pushing to get their hands on what they wanted, it was crazy.

People are crazy.


	29. Wild Parrot

"Eoghan, why is there a parrot in our living room?" I was expecting that question and I'm not sure how to answer it other than by being absolutely honest with him. 

“It flew in through one of the windows?" I call back quietly from the kitchen where I was in the process of trying to fix myself up some food. I hadn't had time to eat just yet since this bright-coloured guy was waiting for me in the living room when I first got up.

“It flew in through one of the windows? You're kidding me right? This is a wild parrot, it can't have- there are no wild parrots in France, Eoghan." Baffled, I think, is the only term I can use to describe the tone of his voice right now and I have so snicker, I can't help myself. It's rare that I manage to baffle Lex and I haven't even tried that hard. Not that I was trying to, of course.

"I don't know what to tell you, Lex. I got out of bed this morning, came into the living room, mostly zombie-like because I was still tired but I'd heard the thunder and there it was, waiting for me, perched on our perfectly good couch and I'm sure it'll need some repairs."

"Well, someone has to have lost their bird, we can't just keep it here." I figure we could though we have nothing for it, no food, no spot for it to do whatever it is birds do when they need to empty their bladders or what have you. I've never had a bird before in my life though I've seen more than my share over the years.

"It's pouring out there, we can't just fling it back outside and hope it finds its way back to wherever it might have come from."

"What kind of idiot keeps a parrot as a pet but let it keep its flight feathers? I'm not saying they should keep it caged or anything but if they're letting it roam free they should at least make sure it won't take off this way. Don't we have an animal protection place around here?" That thought hadn't crossed my mind. Not a lot had actually crossed my mind. It still was too damned early in the morning for me to worry about much of anything except for the fact that I was hungry and I'd been woken up by the thunder reminding me we'd left a few windows opened overnight for the cool air to flow.

"How about we eat something and then you call the animal protection place and I'll see if I can't get this big bird to come along on my arm or something. We can't get much of anything done if it won't even come anywhere near us, let alone getting it into the car. Unless you want to switch roles?" I know he won't switch, some animals are more sensitive to his gift than others. I think Adela honestly doesn't care but I've seen a lot of birds just sort of flee him. Cats keep their distances for a while before they're all over him and dogs tend to be sort of wary but after a while they come around too.

  


So we ate, he found the number for the animal protection place, I can never recall what they call it in this place, and he called. They told us they couldn't come to pick it up but we could drop it off at their office and they'd take care of it until its owner showed up. That was going to be interesting for the simple fact that it was pouring out there and since I'm the one who'd managed to befriend the bird, Lex was going to have to head out there in the pouring rain to get the car out at least up front. 

I mean, we both could have gone out, me with this huge bird on my arm, both with umbrellas, trying to get into the car but there were a lot of flaws with that idea. For one, any time Lex tries to approach the bird at all, it starts to freak out so we could head outside, the bird freaks and it takes off. We figured we'd take the old van, he'd be up front, driving and I'd sit all the way in the back.

So I let him get dressed, take an umbrella and he heads down by the elevator while I take the stairs quietly. By the time I'm down, he is more than likely in the garage and he's getting the van out and up front. He parks it as close as he can so I only have a moment or two under the rain and he comes around to open the door before he steps away.

I take a moment to just breathe, I look up to the bird, just watching me, curious more than anything else and I step outside, briefly under the rain and into the car. Before the poor bird has any idea of the mild wetness to its wings, I'm inside, settled and Lex is closing the door. He rounds up to the driver side again and gets in. I'm just hoping it's a short drive.

  


It turns out to be a longer drive than I might have wished and I guess Lex was too close to the bird for its comfort because before too long it was flapping and trying to flee—not that it had much of anywhere to flee—and all I could do was reach for its mind to try to calm it down. This isn't really how I had pictured my day to start.

When we're finally at the place, my arm is somewhat bleeding in places but I know it'll heal. Lex repeats the motion of parking the car and rounding up to the back to open the door before he steps away. I guess I'm thankful that someone saw us parking up front and came out to meet us with am open umbrella. I would have been soaked by the time we'd been inside and I don't think this bird still would have been on my arm.

We leave it inside where someone takes over as arm-perch. They thank us for bringing it in since someone had already called asking if they'd seen her as it turns out the big bad bird of doom is a pretty girl. We nod, we head back to the car and we sit there for a minute or two, just trying to wrap our minds around what just happened.

I look down to my arm and the healing welts and I shake my head with a lot note. "We'll have to replace the screen on that window."

Because that is the main issue that I think bugs me to that point. All our windows have screens to keep bugs out and somehow, just somehow, there she was, perched on our living room couch as I closed that window. I didn't even notice the screen, I think I was too shocked by the sight of her.

"We'll change the screen before too long, don't worry about it. How's your arm?" He asks the question with genuine worry as he starts the van so we can head back on home. The wipers are going at their fastest speed and we can barely see where we're going. This is not a day to be outside and I'm going to have to make a note to offer to drive Armin and the kids home tonight. I was so busy worrying about this bird that I didn't even think to offer them that much this morning, I hope they made it to the library as dry as possible.

"I'll be all right, these are going to be healed within the next couple of hours. She had a pretty frigging strong grip and I honestly hope to never see her again."


	30. Energy

"What are those exactly?" He looks at me with those wide-eyes, wondering and questioning. At times I think he believes I have all the answers in the world. I admit to having the answer to this particular questions and a fair few of his questions but that's aside the point. The more time I spent with him and his brother, the more I feel like they've been so sheltered up to this point in their lives that they're like two years old kids, discovering something new about life in general at every turn. I can't decide if it's sweet or surprising or anything else. It's a little of everything.

I turn to face him to at least know what he's talking about since most of his questions are vague like this. He's looking at the can I have sitting on the book cart. It's still sealed, I haven't had time to open it up yet and I don't feel so exhausted that I have to drink it just now. I shake my head, a soft chuckle escaping me and he blinks at me with those curious eyes, those strange, ever so strange red eyes of his. I've never seen eyes that colour before though it goes with the rest of him.

"It's an energy drink." I pause for all of a second because I know he won't know what it is but I want to give him just a moment to wrap his mind around the words. "You can take it now and again when you need a boost of energy. I didn't sleep so well last night and I know I have a lot of work ahead of me today so I decided to buy one though I haven't opened it yet. It has a lot of caffeine, the stuff in coffee, it gives a boost. I don't like them much, to be honest, but it's either the drink or I don't make it through the day without a nap."

"But naps are healthier."

He's catching on quickly enough, that's good. "You're right, naps are healthier but I don't really have time for a nap today, sadly."

I shrug lightly, as if to close the subject while I start putting books back where they belong on the shelves but he's still looking at me, as if he's still trying to wrap his mind around something. I do find it vaguely amusing, really, I can't help myself. I yawn and shake my head. I don't want to drink the energy drink just yet, it's still too early in the morning and using a second one is not in my plans.

"Why didn't you sleep well?" His curiosity is brimming with genuine concern for my health. He's still putting books up but most of his attention is still on me. I'd forgotten what it was like to have someone other than family be worried about me, it feels so different.

"Well for one I had an exam to study for and I admit I've been lazy about it and I haven't even really looked at my books so I gave it all I had last night until I'd at least read through it. That's this afternoon and this is why I'm sort of hoping to be able to be aware enough of things to not need the drink until then."

"An exam for what?"

Yeah, absolutely adorable, the way he's just drinking in all the information he's given, even if it might not hold much importance to him. I'm half hoping he'll give all that information to his brother just the same, repeating myself twice isn't much of an issue but at times it turns to be a little 'meh'.

"I didn't want to learn to drive when I was your age but Magali lately managed to change my mind and I took the classes. Being behind the wheel is not an issue but it's all the laws and the how to's and the rest, I have the paper-based exam just a little after noon and I have the practical exam, the one where I'll be behind the wheel, after that."

He nods, his eyes still wide and curious but I think I can mostly see what I wanted to see, understanding, in his eyes. He gets it.

"I'm sure if you asked Armin he'd let you have a nap in the back room, it's quiet and dark back there." I had given that a thought but I figured that I was here to be of help, not to be in the way and to just laze back. I don't feel quite exhausted enough but I see something in what he brings up though. I know the energy drink will do its job but I hate taking them, tends to leave me feeling sick for a while after the boost runs off so maybe, just maybe I should have a rest.

"I might just do that, to be honest. You're too smart for your own good, Agni." He sticks his tongue out as I take my drink with me and I head off towards the front so I can have a few words with Armin about the chance at maybe having myself a slight nap in the back room. I've done it before, just once and it had done me some good.

  


"So you'll be able to drive around after that? No more bus-taking?" Mira's eyes are wide as he sits next to me on the stairs. We took an early lunch, the place is quiet and Armin said we could. Agni decided he'd stay inside and have his lunch with Armin after we'd had our own. I don't mind, really.

"Yup, once I go through my exam and I pass, of course, I'll have all the paperwork I need to be able to drive around. I already have an old car, though it's Magali's and she doesn't really drive it around anymore, so I will be able to get around easier and it might just make things better. I can drive you guys home on rain days or storm days and Eoghan won't have to leave his place to do it."

He nods, taking in the information and putting it somewhere in his mind for safe keeping, I guess, while he takes a bite of his sandwich. That seems to be the easiest of meals for all of us still at this point. Before too long we'll be eating warm lunches and I'm actually looking forward to that. I love warm lunches, they warm you up from the inside just right.

"Is that why you disappeared into the back room this morning?" I laugh softly at his question. I guess he and his brother haven't really had time to talk but I don't mind, it happens. 

"I was tired this morning because I spent most of my night staying up to study for my exam and I was really tired, so a nap helped me a little, I feel better." He frowns this time and I have to wonder why, really. I don't think I said anything that could warrant a frown.

"You didn't have to come here if you were tired, though. You could have stayed home until it was time to get to your exam place." Ah, I see now. I shake my head, a soft smile offered to him.

"I wanted to see you guys. You two are like my little luck trinkets and if I spend time with you, I feel luckier and if I feel luckier, I'm bound to do better during my exam." And he blushes, a nice, deep sort of colour. I chuckle softly and lean back somewhat against the outer wall of the library. I wasn't trying to get him blushing but I can appreciate the sight of it. They're beautiful, these twins, in their own, so very unique ways. 

"Good luck, thank." He leans closer, kissing my cheeks and it's my turn to blush though I laugh softly and brush it off as a natural reaction to close contact and affection.

"Thank you, Mira. Now I should get going, you tell your brother I said he had to behave, or else."

"Or else." He nods, a grin on his face as I stand, dust myself off and start off towards the bus stop I need to get to. It will be strange, having my licence so I can use the car but I don't think I can complain, it'll make a lot of things easier.


	31. Damaged

"I still don't get how that bird managed to get inside." We've gone over all of the windows, changing and fixing the broken screens. Several of them were in poor shape, as if they'd been worked at over time to get them open but I don't get why or how it could have happened. It certainly wasn't man-made, we're on the third floor and the idea of anyone trying to break through these screens from this height just to get inside makes no sense.

"I don't know what to tell you, Eoghan. At least she's back where she belongs with her owner and we can only hope he'll be carefully about letting her out and about. I don't really want to see her again if I can help it." I chuckle softly, shaking my head as I finish changing the last screen for this particular room. We have so many windows, I hadn't really realized.

"You're right on that, at least. While my arm healed in record time, as usual, the ache from her claws digging into my arm remained for a day or more, it was a really strange sensation." It wasn't a bad thing, I can't complain about how the ache only lasted a day or so but it was an ache I wasn't used to and I didn't know what to do about it. I've known pain before, this was just a different kind.

"Did we get all of the windows?" He looks around the room a moment and I nod, we did get all the windows, at least in this room. I think we've gotten all the rooms checked, really.

"Pretty sure we did. Adela's room has no windows, at least none that open and have a screen so we're good. Living room is done, my office, your work room has no windows, the bedroom, the extra rooms. I think we're good, yes." Which is a good thing. Most of the windows are high, near the ceiling. It isn't because we're short, we can reach them just fine but it would have been easier to change the screens from outside but again, the whole issue is that we're on the third floor and I don't even think we have a ladder tall enough for that kind of thing. 

"We still haven't decided on what we'll do about the couch." I blink as I look at him, in the process of closing that one window just so. The AC has mostly been off as of the past week and we've been keeping windows opened, it does the job. The air is warm but not hot and the breeze is just fine, it does as well as the AC.

The couch has little holes and scratches in it now. The thought actually amuses me somewhat and I shake my head. "I moved the blanket from the other end over to the scratched side."

He gives me a look and I just shrug, an amused smile finding my lips. I know what he's thinking, I don't have to be a telepath (oh but I am!) to know. He's thinking that I'm just covering up the issue, that we should do something about it but honestly, it's not all that visible and I'm pretty sure we're the only ones who'll ever know anything about it. I don't see the issue. "It's brand new, Lex, we can't just replace it because it has tiny little holes and scratches on it. I mean, we could but that'd just be flinging money out the windows for no reason whatsoever. If you want it fixed, I'm pretty sure I could convince Quentin of having a look at it."

His face clears up a bit. He hadn't thought about the Quentin option though I try not to bother him about that kind of thing often. As a weaver (who hasn't really discovered the true depth of his gift), fixing just about anything made of any kind of woven material or leather or, well just about any type of textile, is easy enough for him. It's in his blood, literally.

"Fine, for now I guess it can stay." I grin at him and he rolls his eyes before stepping out of the room. "I have a few small commissions lined up so I'll go and take care of that."

I'm fine with that, after all I have to put the last touches to the paperwork I've been working on to get my hands on that library so I could begin to fix it. It's in much worse condition than our couch and it deserves more attention. I suppose it's one of the reasons why I didn't really worry about the couch after all.

There just are so many things in life that require more than a single glance. There are things in life that are often damaged beyond repairs. It isn't the case with the library building and its interior though it isn't far from. At times I tell myself it might just be easier to build up a new library from the ground up but that would just take too long. Fixing up this building will take time, a lot of it, it will require time, attention and care and I'm willing to give it all that. Which is more than the current building owner can say.

The only thing the place has going for itself just now are the stained glass windows, those are beautiful and I'll be doing all I can to save them so they can be put back in once the work is all done. The heating system will need replaced, the electricity rewired, the lights. Everything really, is in need of an overhaul. A little at a time so people can still come around and appreciate the quietness that is a library. So they can get their books, take them home, bring them back.

This might just be the project I was looking for, that one thing that will keep me busy but not too much so. I know I could give these kids out there, wandering the streets, a new home if I wanted to but I don't really have the patience for that kind of project right now, it would require too much of my time and I'm not ready to give that away. It's still too fresh, my return to Lex's arms and I want to be able to appreciate that for a few years more at the very least yet.

  


When he steps out of his work room a few hours later, I'm done with the paperwork as much as I can be. I know all I have to do now is wait. He'll go over them, just to make sure everything is as it should be and that'll be that. I'll send them in to the city for them to consider my offer. I've put everything in there. The poor administration (not Armin's work, of course, he works well), the way the building is a danger as it currently is. I have so many photos I've lost count of them but it's all in there.

He leans over my shoulder and I smile up at him lightly. He smells of chocolate and I close my eyes, breathing in the scent of him. I chuckle and shake my head. I don't much like chocolate though I don't mind it now and again. The scent of it mingled with the scent of him, however, is something I don't really get tired of. It has this distinct touch that nothing else really has and it follows him around so I can more or less always tell where he's been or where he's at in our home depending on where the scent trail goes.

Of course it's not something I've told him, I think he might try to change his soap or something if I were to tell him and we can't have that, nope. This is perfectly fine as it is so there's nothing to fix. Nothing damaged here, not at all.


End file.
